Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that the country has completed the necessary preparations for the resumption of safe grain exports and is waiting for appropriate steps from other parties.

In a statement published on its website, the ministry said the security situation is controlled by the Ukrainian armed forces.

The statement came in response to U.S. Congresswoman Victoria Spartz's appeal to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to put the "grain deal" on hold until better security arrangements are in place.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called the appeal "a devastating blow to Ukrainian farmers and an economy that needs exports and income, and undermines global food security."