«I Saw No Hope»: Italy’s Prime Minister on Phone Conversation with Putin

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has stated that during his phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he "saw no hope for peace." Draghi made this remark in response to a journalist's question, as reported by meduza.io.

The conversation with Putin, which took place on May 26, primarily focused on the threat of a global food crisis due to the blockade of grain supplies from Ukraine. According to Draghi, Putin claimed that the Ukrainian ports were blocked due to actions by Kyiv, which the Russian President alleged had mined the routes to these ports.

In Draghi’s view, the situation could be resolved by clearing the waters and providing assurances to Russia that the ports would not be subject to attacks, Askanews reports.

Furthermore, according to the Kremlin, Putin informed Draghi that Russia is "prepared to make significant investments to overcome the food crisis through the export of grain and fertilizers, provided that the West lifts politically motivated restrictions."