Food shipments at risk: Russia demands conditions to extend the grain agreement

Russia warned this Thursday that it will not extend the grain agreement, which allows food to be exported through the Black Sea, if there is no progress in fulfilling the commitments that emerge from the memorandum signed by Moscow and the UN.

“Without progress in solving five systemic problems (…) there can be no talk of extending the Black Sea Initiative (the grain agreement) after May 18”, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

Moscow demands the reconnection of the Rosselkhozbank bank to the SWIFT financial communications system, the resumption of supplies of agricultural machinery, as well as spare parts and services for it, and the removal of restrictions on insurance and free access to ports.

The other two Russian demands are the start-up of the Togliatti-Odesa pipeline, paralyzed since the beginning of the Russian military campaign in Ukraine, and the unblocking of the accounts and assets abroad of Russian companies linked to production and transport. of food and fertilizers.

Parallel to the grain agreement, the United Nations agreed with Russia on a memorandum to facilitate these Russian exports, which are facing difficulties, mainly due to the collateral effects of Western sanctions due to the Russian military campaign in Ukraine.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative was originally sealed in July last year by Ukraine and Russia with the support of Turkey and the United Nations for a 120-day term, renewable for the same period if neither party abandons it.

On March 18, Russia extended its validity for only 60 days.because half of the agreement was not fulfilled and has not been fulfilled until now”, according to what Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said on Wednesday.

“We know that the representatives of the UN apply certain efforts, but they do not always have results. As before, the second half of the deal doesn’t work. The conditions of the agreement are not met”, he stressed.

Source: EFE