The extension of the grain export agreement remains blocked seven days after it expires

The negotiations held this Wednesday and Thursday in Istanbul to extend the pact aimed at exporting Ukrainian agricultural products through the Black Sea have ended without an agreement, seven days after its expiration, and with Russia warning that several of your demands.

The meeting between representatives of Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations, the latter two acting as mediators, has been held to broaden the application of an initiative that since July last year has allowed 30 million tons of cereals to be brought to the markets and other agricultural products.

Russia has insisted that an extension of the agreement beyond May 18 will only be possible if obstacles to its own agricultural exports are resolved.

Ukraine, for its part, demands that the agreement have an indefinite validity and has accused Russia of using its extension as a form of blackmail.

The UN said in a statement that during the negotiations yesterday and today all the parties “have presented their points of view” and have promised to continue addressing them, but without giving further details.

The UN humanitarian chief, Martin Griffiths, assured that this initiative is very important “for global food security” and recalled the important contribution that Russia makes in this regard with its exports of food and fertilizers, indicated in that note.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin confirmed to his country’s media from Istanbul that contacts continue, but warned that Moscow will not act “to the detriment of their interests”.

The diplomat also stressed that his country opposes the idea of ​​some European countries of “extend (the agreement) or extend it constantly”.

He warned that if Russian demands to supply fertilizer before May 18, when the pact expires, are not taken into account, it will cease to exist.

“Obviously, we defend first and foremost the national interests of Russia, of its agricultural producers, of fertilizer producers and, ultimately, we also do so taking into account the general situation on the world food market, which is quite volatile.he declared.

Russia accuses Ukraine of blocking the reactivation of the pipeline to supply Togliatti-Odesa ammonia, paralyzed since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

It also calls for the unblocking of the foreign accounts and assets of Russian companies linked to the production and transport of food and fertilizers.

The Russian representative said that during this round of contacts in Istanbul his demand that the Russian bank Rosselkhozbank be reconnected to the SWIFT financial communications system was discussed, but he denounced that there had been no progress in this regard.

Source: EFE