Zelenskyy says India is ready to help open Black Sea food corridors after call with Modi

India is willing to help open safe routes for food through the Black Sea, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 9 November.

The call came a day before two days of talks between Russia and Ukraine, brokered by the United States, were due to begin in Abu Dhabi on 10 November. The same evening, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

What each side said

In a post on X, Mr. Zelenskyy said the two leaders discussed how Russia was blocking Ukraine’s grain exports by sea. “India is ready to mediate in establishing food corridors, and we are counting on these efforts to continue,” he wrote. He said their teams would stay in touch.

Mr. Modi said on X that he had a “productive” conversation. He said he repeated India’s commitment to help find a peaceful end to the war in every way it can. The two leaders also reviewed trade and other ties, he said.

Mr. Jaishankar said his talk with Mr. Lavrov focused on the conflict in Ukraine and the efforts to end it.

Why it matters

Ukraine is one of the world’s biggest grain exporters, and much of its grain leaves through Black Sea ports. Fighting near those ports has been heavy since July, The Indian Express reported. Blocked routes raise food prices well beyond Ukraine.

The background

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, said in October that India had put forward a broad proposal to end the war. According to The Indian Express, it would ease the fighting around the Black Sea so that farm exports can move. Russia would stop attacking Ukraine’s power plants and grid, and Ukraine would halt attacks along the front line. Neither government has published the proposal.

What’s next

The Abu Dhabi talks run on 10 and 11 November.