The United Kingdom wants to set up a convoy to protect ships carrying Ukrainian wheat in the Black Sea

Britain is in discussion with allies about sending warships to the Black Sea to protect freighters carrying Ukrainian grain. A “coalition of the willing” would aim to break Russia’s blockade in weeks by providing a “protective corridor” from Odesa through the Bosphorus.

There are fears that time is running out to avert a world food crisis and the US also said that it was sending long-range missiles to take out Russian ships.

Gabrielius Landsbergis, the Lithuanian foreign minister, who discussed the corridor with Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, said the coalition could include some Nato countries and other countries reliant on the grain.

It is thought that Egypt, which has been hit hard by the wheat shortage, might be willing to take part.

Tags: grain, UK, Ukraine, export