Ukraine offers to increase food exports to Turkey

KIEV, Ukraine

Ukraine is ready to fill any gaps in the Turkish food market caused by Russian sanctions, the Ukrainian agriculture and food minister said Monday.

“Ukraine has enough products of suitable quality to meet the needs of Turkish consumers in case of export restrictions by the Russian Federation,” Oleksiy Pavlenko said in a statement.

He added: “If the traditional partners apply sanctions against Turkey and freeze supplies of cereals, Ukraine is ready to increase supplying of grain, corn and oil two times at least.

“Turkey is an old and reliable partner of Ukraine and we are ready to act as a guarantor of food security for the country.”

Pavlenko’s remarks came after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced sanctions against Turkey on Sunday.

Turkish companies operating in Russia and Turkish staff employed by Russian companies will face restrictions and there are limitations on specific Turkish exports.

The sanctions followed the shooting down of a Russian warplane over the Turkey-Syria border last week and despite evidence from Turkey that the aircraft had violated Turkish airspace and received repeated warnings.