The Russian Kremlin presidency warned this Tuesday that continuing the flow of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea without Russia’s consent would pose “security risks,” hours after the export initiative expired.
“It is an issue that must be discussed by our military, because it is an area that is close to the combat zone and without proper guarantees, certain risks arise,” Peskov said when asked about the possibility of the agreement going ahead without Russian participation . as Ukraine intended.
Peskov added that if anything is done without Russia, “those risks have to be taken into account”.
“And here we cannot say which countries and to what extent they would be willing to take these risks,” he said.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday asked the UN and Turkey to extend, without Russia, the initiative allowing the export of Ukrainian grains from the Black Sea after the Kremlin announced the suspension agreement on Monday.
“I have sent official letters to the president of Türkiye [Recep Tayyip Erdogan] and UN Secretary-General António Guterres with a proposal to continue the Black Sea Grains Initiative or its equivalent in a trilateral format,” Zelensky said.
According to the president, Ukraine, the UN and Turkey “together can guarantee the functionality of the food corridor and the surveillance of ships”, which allowed the export of grains from Ukrainian ports until Monday.
The Kremlin said on Monday that “once the part referring to Russia” in the agreements is fulfilled, the Russians will immediately resume implementation of the pact.
Also this Tuesday, Dmitry Peskov reiterated Russia’s willingness to supply free grain to African countries.
“Unfortunately, we are talking about very small amounts, because the poorest countries in Africa received less grain than everyone else,” he claimed under the Black Sea Initiative.
Peskov also accused Ukraine of using the maritime corridor for the export of Ukrainian grains for military purposes, which Kiev denies.
Information from both parties could not be independently verified.
Source: DN
