Today, Monday, the agreement to export Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea ended without any extension, while international contacts continue to obtain Russia’s approval to extend the agreement, while Washington warned Moscow of the repercussions of withdrawing from it.
The Russian news agency Tass quoted two UN sources – whose identities were not revealed – as saying that the agreement, which was brokered by the United Nations and Turkey and provides for the safe export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, was not extended until yesterday, Sunday, but they said that “everything is possible.”
The Russian agency quoted one of the sources as saying, “We are waiting for Moscow’s position, and everything is possible.”
Russia threatened to withdraw from the agreement concluded in July 2022, mediated by the United Nations and Turkey, and Moscow said that its demands to enhance its exports of grain and fertilizers had not been met.
Russia complains about the obstruction of Western sanctions – which were imposed after it launched the war on Ukraine – to its exports of food and fertilizers to the world.
A United Nations spokesman said last Friday that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was waiting for a response from Russian President Vladimir Putin on a proposal to extend the agreement.
Sullivan warns
On the other hand, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan warned Russia of the consequences of withdrawing from the grain export agreement, saying that its withdrawal would accrue to it at a very large diplomatic cost.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken urged Russia to extend and expand the Black Sea agreement, accusing Moscow of using the agreement as a “weapon” by threatening to end it.
The last ship to transport grain under the aforementioned agreement left Sunday the port of Odessa in southwestern Ukraine. Under the agreement, Ukraine exported more than 32 million tons of corn, wheat and other grains.
Russia has not approved the registration of any new ships since the 27th of last month.
It is noteworthy that Ukraine and Russia are among the largest grain exporters in the world, and the war that broke out since February 2022 has caused Ukrainian grain supplies to the world to stop, causing a significant increase in their prices in global markets.
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2023-07-17 02:48:15
