Ben Wallace also called on the country to allow Ukraine to export its grain.
In comments to Reuters, Wallace told reporters in Madrid that the Russian army was “exhausted and broken”, but warned that the Russian navy would be “more of a threat” in the future.
Russia must also “do the right thing” and open a grain corridor from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, he told reporters in Madrid while meeting with Spanish counterpart Margarita Robles at a conference.
Russian officials have said they would be willing to provide a corridor for food-carrying vessels to leave Ukraine in exchange for lifting some sanctions.
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Wallace rejected the idea of lifting sanctions, but accepted the suggestion of Black Sea nations, such as Turkey, to escort grain shipments from Ukraine after Moscow ruled out Western forces.
Wallace rejected the idea of lifting the sanctions
/ AFP via Getty Images
“This grain is for everyone, Libya, Yemen, people all over the world rely on this grain to feed themselves,” he said.
“I urge Russia to do the right thing in the spirit of humanity and to let the grain out of Ukraine, to stop stealing the grain by its own means. Let’s not talk about sanctions, let’s do the right thing.”
Ukraine’s Black Sea ports have been blocked since Russia sent thousands of troops to Ukraine on February 24 and more than 20 million tons of grain are trapped in silos in the country.
The British Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday that the lack of maritime activity outside Odessa since the start of the war and the naval blockade of Black Sea ports by Russia could raise the price of basic foodstuffs.
“The fight has already put indirect pressure on world cereal prices,” he said in an intelligence update.
“While the threat of a Russian naval blockade continues to prevent commercial shipping from accessing Ukrainian ports, the resulting shortage of supply will further increase the price of many commodities.”