Russia has agreed to extend Ukraine’s grain export deal through the Black Sea for just 60 days and not 120 as Kiev has stated, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry clarified today.
“There are statements from several parties that the grain export agreement has been extended for 120 days,” said Maria Zakharova, who denied the veracity of the information.
The same official, quoted by the Russian agency Interfax and echoed by AFP, underlined: “We have repeatedly said that (…) the Russian side has informed all interested parties that the agreement has been extended for 60 days.”
Earlier, government officials in Kiev had assured that the agreement between Russia and Ukraine to extend the agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain was valid for 120 days.
“The agreement has been extended for another 120 days,” Ukrainian Minister of Community Development, Territory and Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov said on his Facebook account. Kubrakov thanked UN Secretary General António Guterres and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as all allied countries involved in the mediation.
“This means that Ukraine will continue to export its agricultural products through three ports,” the Ukrainian minister added, revealing that 25 million tons of grain have been shipped since August 1 “to meet the needs of the world.”
Turkey announced on Wednesday that it is negotiating with Ukraine and Russia for a further 120-day extension of the grain deal, instead of the 60 days Moscow had announced.
The agreement, approved in July 2022 under the mediation of the UN and Turkey, was last extended last November and was due to expire today.
Also today, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the extension of the international agreement on the export of Ukrainian grains, but without specifying the duration of the pact.
“The continuation and stability of the agreement is vital,” Erdogan stressed.
The deal has enabled the export of 25 million tons of grain on more than 1,600 merchant ship voyages since last July. Fifty-five percent of this food went to developing countries.
Source: DN
