‘No Signs Russia Wants To End War’: Zelenskyy Warns Of Global Grain Crisis

Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday (local time) said Kyiv sees no signs that Russia wants to end the war, questioning Moscow’s intentions amid US President Donald Trump’s push for an energy ceasefire between the two countries. 

In a post on X, Zelenskyy said there were no indications of de-escalation from Russia and warned that the international focus on energy supplies risked overlooking the threat of a potential global agricultural crisis due to disruptions in Ukrainian grain exports.  

“We currently see no signs from Russia that it wants to end the war. We see no basic steps toward de-escalation,” Zelenskyy said. 

Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum, the Ukrainian President warned that Russia’s blockade of maritime routes could disrupt grain supplies to countries across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. 

“Everyone is talking about diesel and forgetting about grain. In a month or two, everyone will start talking about an agricultural crisis. There won’t be enough food for countries across Africa, some Asian countries, and the Middle East, because we export millions of tons of grain to these very markets. And now Russia is blocking the sea,” he said. 

Zelenskyy called for a broader international response to emerging risks, urging countries to address potential food shortages alongside energy-related concerns. In a separate post on X, he questioned the impact of Russian diesel exports on global fuel prices and proposed a potential “diesel deal” with US President Donald Trump. 

Zelenskyy said Ukraine could refrain from striking Russian diesel infrastructure if Kyiv received guarantees that its own energy system would be protected. “If we can be guaranteed protection for our power system, then we will not strike Russia’s diesel infrastructure in response,” he said, emphasising that protecting electricity supplies was essential for civilians and could also help European countries facing shortages. 

His remarks come after Trump called for an immediate energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, calling on both sides to honour the truce. Zelenskyy had welcomed the proposal, stating that Ukraine supported the ceasefire but emphasising that Russia must also commit to it. He added that Kyiv was awaiting further details from Washington.