German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron had a telephone conversation with Putin. They called on him to cease fire, withdraw troops and immediately begin direct talks with Zelenskyy for a diplomatic settlement.
The German Chancellor and the President of France also called on the President of Russia to improve the humanitarian situation of the civilian population.
Chancellor Scholz and President Macron also discussed with President Putin the aggravation of the global food situation as a result of Russiaʼs war of aggression. They say Putin has agreed to pave the way for Ukrainian grain exports. He allegedly promised that the routes cleared for cargo shipping would not be used by Russian warships to attack.
- The United Kingdom and its allies are developing a potential plan to send warships to the Black Sea to escort ships exporting Ukrainian grain. The "coalition of volunteers" should break the blockade of Russia in a few weeks, providing a "protective corridor" from Odessa through the Bosphorus.
- On May 25, the United Kingdom refused to ease sanctions against Russia in exchange for a corridor for grain exports from Ukraine.
- On May 13, David Beasley, head of the UN World Food Program, asked Russian President Putin to open Ukrainian Black Sea ports until their blockade led to a global disaster.
- On May 12, the American television channel CNN showed satellite images showing a Russian ship transporting stolen Ukrainian grain from the occupied Crimea to Syria.