The UN assured this Wednesday that it will continue its efforts to ensure that Russia agrees to extend the agreement that will allow the export of Ukraine’s grains to international markets, although it acknowledges that there are “problems to be resolved “.
“Our efforts have made it possible to make progress on many points, such as obstacles to the export of grains and fertilizers presented by Russia, but there are still problems with the financial transactions of the agricultural bank,” That says the director of the United Nations Agency for Trade and Development (UNCTAD), which represents the organization in the negotiations, to the Spanish news agency EFE.
According to Rebeca Grynspan, the main issue is related to the export of Russian food and fertilizer, an issue that is part of the pact.
On Tuesday, the Russian government said there was no reason to extend the agreement, which expires on May 17, because the problems for its own exports have not been resolved, although Kremlin (Russian presidency) spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed weakness on Wednesday. dismissed the comments, stressing that the West still has a few days to clear the hurdles.
According to UNCTAD, the agreement is due to expire almost a year ago and has enabled the export of more than 32 tons of grains and seeds from Ukraine to 45 countries on three continents, while countries in sub-Saharan Africa and less developed states in other regions have been able to export a quantity of wheat. received similar to that of the pre-war period in Ukraine.
Russia’s demands also include the reintegration of its agricultural bank, the Rosselkhozbank, into SWIFT’s international banking system, the lifting of sanctions on spare parts for agricultural machinery, the unblocking of transport logistics and insurance, the unblocking of assets and the reopening of the Togliatti Bank. The Odessa ammonia pipeline, which exploded on June 5.
“Many of these issues were the target of our intervention and improvements were recorded,” Grynspan stressed, acknowledging, however, that there are still hurdles in matters related to the Rosseljoz Bank and the Togliatti-Odessa oil pipeline.
In terms of progress, the representative assured that improvements have been made in third countries’ access to Russian exports of food products through Europe, in the thawing of certain assets of Russian companies (in the fertilizer and food products sectors, which are not affected by international sanctions) and access to and reduction of insurance prices for Russian ships.
“Insurance prices of the shipping companies for Russian products have fallen, although not to the level they would like,” he said.
Rebeca Grynspan argued that Russian associations of grain and fertilizer producers have published figures showing that since July 2022, when the agreement was signed, exports have increased.
“Are we where we want to be? No, there are still problems to be solved,” said Grynspan, who is not ruling out a trip to Moscow soon to try to convince the Russian government to go ahead with the deal.
In Moscow this Wednesday, Peskov indicated that Russia will soon announce a decision on the extension of the grain agreement, which allows exports from Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea.
For the Kremlin “there is still time” for the terms of the agreement – brokered by the UN and Turkey and signed by the parties in Istanbul – to be fulfilled, especially with regard to the commitments on the Russian side.
“We will report our decision in time. There is still time. At the moment there is also time to fulfill the part of the agreements with regard to our country,” said the spokesperson.
Peskov reiterated that so far the memorandum agreed between Russia and the UN to facilitate Russian exports of food and fertilizer has not been fulfilled and therefore “unfortunately there is no reason to extend the agreement”.
On Tuesday, Russia had announced that ships carrying grain from Ukrainian ports must leave the Black Sea before the Istanbul agreement expires on the 17th, after reiterating that there is no reason for a further extension of the pact.
Source: DN
