Russia on Monday suspended the agreement on the export of grain through the Black Sea from Ukrainian ports, arguing that the commitments made in relation to the Russian side were not fulfilled.
“The grain deal is on hold,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said during his daily telephone news conference.
“When the Russia-related part of the Black Sea agreement is fulfilled, Russia will immediately return to the implementation of the agreement,” Peskov said.
A Kremlin spokesman said the attack on a bridge linking Crimea to the Russian mainland was not a factor in the decision to suspend the deal.
“No, these developments are not linked,” he stressed.
“Even before this terrorist attack, President [da Rússia, Vladimir] Putin had declared our position “on this grain issue,” the Russian spokesman stressed.
The groundbreaking deal the United Nations and Turkey negotiated last summer allowed tons of food to leave the Black Sea region after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
A separate deal made it easier to move Russian food and fertilizer amid Western sanctions.
Russia and Ukraine are the world’s main suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil and other food products.
The Russians have complained that shipping and insurance restrictions have hampered exports of their food and fertilizers, which are also essential to the global food chain.
Analysts and export data show that Russia has been exporting record amounts of wheat and its fertilizers are also being exported.
The Black Sea grain export deal was renewed for 60 days in May, despite resistance from Moscow. The amount of food shipped and the number of ships leaving Ukraine has decreased in recent months. Russia is being accused of limiting the use of additional ships to export grain.
While analysts expect no more than a temporary rise in food prices as countries like Russia and Brazil increase their wheat and corn exports, food insecurity is on the rise.
The war in Ukraine sent food prices to record levels last year and contributed to a global food crisis also linked to other conflicts, the lingering effects of the covid-19 pandemic, droughts and other climatic factors.
The high costs of grains needed for staple foods in places like Egypt, Lebanon and Nigeria have exacerbated economic challenges and helped push millions of people into poverty or food insecurity. People in developing countries are spending more money to feed themselves.
Poorer nations that depend on imported food priced in dollars are also spending more as their currencies weaken and they are also forced to import more due to weather problems. Countries like Somalia, Kenya, Morocco and Tunisia are battling drought.
News updated at 11:08 am
Source: TSF
