Russia admitted on Thursday that it will not extend the grain agreement that allows it to export food through the Black Sea, if there is no progress in fulfilling the commitments of the memorandum between Moscow and the UN.
“Without progress in solving five systemic problems (…) there can be no talk of extending the Black Sea Initiative (grain deal) beyond May 18,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. .
Moscow is calling for Rosselkhzbank to be reintegrated into the SWIFT financial communications system and for access permits to agricultural machinery to be restored, as well as authorizations for equipment-related maintenance services.
Russia also calls for an end to the restrictions on access to seaports and the restoration of the ammonium pipeline between Tolyatti (Russia) and Odessa, paralyzed since 2022, and also an end to the blocking of bank accounts of Russian companies linked to the production and transportation of food and fertilizers.
Parallel to the agreement on cereals, the United Nations established a memorandum to facilitate Russian exports (food and fertilizers).
The Black Sea Initiative for the movement of grains was signed in July last year between Ukraine and Russia, under the diplomatic intervention of Turkey.
The agreement established a term of 120 days, extendable for the same term according to the agreement of the parties.
On March 18, Russia extended the treaty by just 60 days because, according to Moscow, only “half of the agreement” was fulfilled.
“We know that the representatives of the UN apply certain efforts, but they do not always have results. As happened before, the second half of the deal doesn’t work. The conditions of the agreement are not met,” Moscow diplomacy stressed.
Source: TSF
