- The United Nations-backed grain export deal with Ukraine expires in May
- Turkey says it has committed to an extension
- Russia says barriers to fertilizer exports are increasing
ANKARA, April 7 (Portal) – Russia on Friday threatened to sidestep the UN-brokered grain deal if barriers to its agricultural exports are not removed, while talks in Turkey agreed removing barriers is a necessary step condition for the extension of the agreement beyond the next month.
The Black Sea Grains Agreement, first signed and twice renewed last July, is a United Nations attempt to alleviate a food crisis that existed before the Russian invasion of Ukraine but was left ravaged by Europe’s deadliest war since World War II was aggravated.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who attended talks in Ankara, said he and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu had discussed “a failure” to implement the terms of the deal.
He said Russia could work outside if Western countries maintained what he saw as increasingly tough barriers to agricultural exports.
The agreement ensures the safe passage of grain and other goods from Ukrainian ports despite a Russian naval blockade.
Lavrov said that if the West does not want to be honest about what UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres intended with the deal, then Ukraine must use land and river routes for export.
“And we will work outside the framework of this initiative if necessary. We have the opportunity to do this with Turkey, with Qatar – the presidents have discussed such plans,” Lavrov said.
RUSSIA RESISTED A LONGER EXTENSION
Last month, Russia said it would extend the deal by another 60 days, despite pushing for another 120-day extension from the United Nations, Ukraine and Turkey.
Alongside Lavrov, Cavusoglu told a press conference that Turkey was determined to extend the deal beyond mid-May.
“We value the continuation of the agreement … not only for grain and fertilizer exports of Russia and Ukraine, but also for ending the world food crisis,” Cavusoglu said.
“We also agree that the obstacles to the export of Russian grain and fertilizers should be removed. Issues need to be addressed so that the Grains Agreement can be further extended,” he said.
Russia and Ukraine are two of the most important producers of agricultural commodities in the world and major players in the markets for wheat, barley, corn, rapeseed, rapeseed oil, sunflower seeds and sunflower oil. Russia also dominates the fertilizer market.
Official data shows that since the Black Sea Grains Initiative began in August, more than 27 million tons of grain and other foodstuffs have been exported from Ukraine aboard 881 outbound ships.
Lavrov said the two top diplomats discussed the grain deal, a potential gas hub in Turkey, the conflict in Syria and Ukraine.
NATO member Turkey has positioned itself as a mediator between Kiev and Moscow in the 13-month conflict and has achieved the only significant diplomatic breakthrough to date with the UN.
Facilitating Russia’s food and fertilizer shipments is a key aspect of the package deal.
While Russia’s food and fertilizer exports aren’t under sweeping Western sanctions, Moscow says restrictions on payments, logistics and the insurance industry are a hindrance.
Lavrov said Russian grain and fertilizer exports were being hampered by a lack of access to insurance and the SWIFT financial messaging system.
Additional reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun in Istanbul; writing by Jonathan Spicer; Edited by Daren Butler and Barbara Lewis
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Guy Faulconbridge