Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced the suspension of the deal in a conference call with reporters, adding that Russia would return to the agreement after its demands were met.
Russia announced on Monday that it was withdrawing from a grain deal that allows grain to be shipped from Ukraine to countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asiawhere the hunger is a growing threat and the high food prices have pushed more people into poverty, it reports Associated Press.
The representative of the Kremlin Dmitry Peskov announced the termination of the agreement in a teleconference with journalistsadding that Russia will return to the agreement after its demands are met.
#Peskov: The agreements on the “grain deal” have actually been terminated, it has been stopped. Russia will immediately return to the “grain deal” as soon as the agreements concerning it are fulfilled. pic.twitter.com/2KgeGaW7ZR
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) July 17, 2023
“When the part of the Black Sea agreement relating to Russia is implemented, Russia will immediately return to implementing the agreement”said Peskov.
Russia has formally informed Turkey, Ukraine and the UN that it opposes its extension, the Russian RIA news agency reported, citing Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
The agreement, which was extended a few times, expires today. Russia has been saying for months that the conditions for its extension have not been met.
The Kremlin also noted that Russia’s decision to suspend its participation in the grain agreement was not connected to the overnight attack on the Crimean bridge.
It is the end of a major agreement brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last summer cto allow food to be transported from the Black Sea region after Russia invaded Ukraine almost a year and a half ago. A separate agreement made it easier trafficking of Russian food and fertilizers amid Western sanctions.
The two warring countries are both major global suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil and other affordable food products that developing countries rely on.
Russia has complained that restrictions on shipping and insurance have hampered food and fertilizer exportsalso critical to the global food chain.
However, analysts and export figures say that Russia is shipping record amounts of wheat and its fertilizers are also traded.
The agreement was renewed for 60 days in May. The last months, the amount of food sent and the number of ships leaving Ukraine have decreased, with Russia accused of limiting the participation of more ships.
The war in Ukraine has sent commodity prices in food soaring to record highs last year and contributed to a global food crisis which is also linked to conflict, the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, droughts and other climate factors.
Source :Skai
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