Russia announced today that it had agreed to extend the Ukrainian grain export agreement, which ends on March 18, for a period of only 60 days, after the application of the text was extended each time for a period of 120 days until now.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said, after negotiations with the United Nations in Geneva, on Monday, that Russia supports extending the Ukrainian grain export agreement for only 60 days, according to Reuters.
He made this clear in a written announcement sent to the media following negotiations with UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths and Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Rebecca Greenspan. "The Russian side (…) does not oppose a new extension of the Black Sea Initiative after its second extension expired on March 18, but only for a period of 60 days.".
Vershinin added "Our position in the future will be determined based on (what will be achieved of) tangible progress in terms of normalizing the conditions of our agricultural exports, not in words but in deeds. This includes bank payments, transportation and guarantee mechanisms, unfreezing financial activities, and supplies of ammonia through the Tolyatti-Odessa pipeline.".
He emphasized that discussion "Candid and in-depth" With the great international officials "He confirmed once again that the commercial export of Ukrainian products is taking place at a steady pace and is generating great profits for Kiev, while the restrictions imposed on Russian agricultural exporters are still in place."considering that "The exemptions announced by Washington, Brussels and London, which included foodstuffs and fertilizers, are mostly ineffective".
And last week, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described the negotiations aimed at extending the Ukrainian grain export agreement as "Complicated". The agreement allowed the resumption of Ukrainian grain exports, despite the country’s invasion.
This vital agreement for the global food supply also resulted in the export of more than 24 million tons of grain from Ukrainian ports, according to the United Nations. Last week, Ukraine called for international efforts to keep the Black Sea shipping lanes open for the transfer of grain, and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called during the G20 meetings in early March for Russia to renew the agreement.
For its part, Russia asserts that the part of this agreement that allows it to export fertilizers without Western sanctions has not been fully respected.
