Russia has ruled in favor of extending the Ukrainian grain export agreement, but only for 60 days, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister reported on Monday, March 13, after negotiations at the United Nations.
“The Russian side (…) is not opposed to a further extension of the ‘Black Sea Initiative’ after the expiration of its second term on March 18, but only for 60 days,” said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Vershinin, in a written statement sent to the media.
“Our future stance will depend on tangible progress in normalizing our agricultural exports, not (in) words, but in deeds,” Vershinin said at the UN headquarters in Geneva.
“Includes bank payments, transport logistics, insurance, ‘unfreezing’ financial activities and ammonia supply through the Tolyatti-Odessa pipeline.”
Ukraine said that this deadline offered by Russia “contradicts” the initial agreement, and now waits for “the official position” of the United Nations and Turkey, as guarantors of the initiative.
The so-called Black Sea Grains Initiative is the official name of the agreement on grain exports from Ukrainian ports.
The pact was closed on July 22 between kyiv and Moscow mediated by Turkey, and contributed to alleviating the world food crisis caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
But the Kremlin criticized that the part of the pact that should authorize it to export fertilizer without international sanctions was not fully respected.
According to the UN, which also supervised the agreement, it has allowed the export of more than 24 million tons of grains to date.
The agreement was renewed in November for 120 days and is due to expire on March 18.
Also present at the meeting were Martin Griffiths, UN Humanitarian Affairs Officer, and Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
