Russia expects “guarantees” on Black Sea grain deals before it rejoins, foreign minister says
A tractor works the field at a private farm in Zhurivka, Kiev region, Ukraine, Thursday, August 10, 2023. Efrem Lukatsky/AP
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia is ready to return to the Black Sea Grains Initiative as soon as Moscow’s promises turn into concrete guarantees.
Russia withdrew from the initiative in July, almost a year after Turkey and the United Nations mediated to ensure safe passage of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea and to facilitate Russian grain and fertilizer exports.
Russia has repeatedly complained that the benefits envisaged in the agreement never materialized.
After talks with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Lavrov said in Moscow: “We have communicated to our Turkish partners our understanding of what needs to be done in the West first of all to restore the viability of this initiative.”
“There is no guarantee in this (proposal) yet; there is only a promise to try faster and more actively, and it all boils down to the West standing in the way of solving the problems that prevent more active export.” “Russian products. Russian grain and fertilizers,” Lavrov said.
“President (Vladimir) Putin has repeatedly said officially and clearly that as soon as action is taken, it will not be the negotiations on the Russian part of the Black Sea package, but action to solve all the problems that have not yet been solved.” Despite the Promises by the UN Secretary-General, whose efforts we appreciate, we will be ready to resume the Ukrainian part of the grain package as soon as talks lead to a concrete decision on the same day,” Lavrov said.
“I can only confirm that the implementation of this package will be fully resumed as soon as there are no promises but guarantees with a concrete result that can be put into practice tomorrow,” he added.
Russia’s foreign minister said he and Fidan also discussed Putin’s initiative to arrange “shipments of up to a million tons of Russian grain to Turkey at a reduced price for processing in Turkish companies and shipment to the world’s most needy.” Lavrov said Qatar was ready to help finance the initiative.
More context on the grain deal: The Black Sea Initiative has been important in stabilizing global food markets since the war began in February last year, particularly for poorer countries that are more reliant on grain supplies from the region.
According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, before the war Ukraine was the world’s fifth largest exporter of wheat, accounting for 10% of exports. According to Gro Intelligence, an agricultural data company, Ukraine is also among the world’s top three exporters of barley, corn and canola oil.
According to the UN, the agreement allowed almost 33 million tons of food to be exported through Ukrainian ports.
CNN’s Anna Cooban contributed to this report.