<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday told UN chief Antonio Guterres during a phone call that the "priority" should be to send Ukrainian grain to countries in greatest need, the Kremlin said.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The conversation "mainly focused on implementing the Istanbul agreements on exporting Ukrainian grain" from Black Sea ports, and the export of Russian food and fertiliser, the Kremlin said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Both sides emphasised the importance of meeting the needs, as a priority, of those in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America who need food," the Russian presidency said in a statement.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Kremlin has repeatedly criticised the landmark deal allowing grain exports from Ukraine, brokered by Turkey and the United Nations in July.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Moscow says its own exports have suffered, and Putin last week claimed most of the consignments were arriving in Europe, not poor countries where grain was needed most.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ukrainian officials have denied the claim and data compiled by a monitoring group as part of the accord does not reflect Putin's assertion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Kremlin said Guterres "provided detailed information on the efforts made... to remove all obstacles" to Russian exports, saying he was "fully committed to resolving this problem".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Putin is set to meet Turkey's president in Uzbekistan on Friday, where the Kremlin has said they will discuss the deal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During the call with Guterres, Putin also hailed "constructive cooperation" with the UN's nuclear watchdog over Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia plant.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shelling around the Russian-controlled facility in southern Ukraine has raised fears of a nuclear disaster.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspected the plant in early September following repeated bombardment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Kremlin said that "Putin made a positive assessment of the constructive cooperation with the agency". Source: AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>