Russia agrees to extend Black Sea Grain Initiative by 60 days

GENEVA - Russia agreed to extend a Ukraine grain export deal by 60 days after talks with UN representatives in Geneva on Monday.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin announced the decision in a statement after leading a delegation to meet UN officials headed by Rebeca Grynspan, secretary-general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and Under-SecretaryGeneral for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths.

Russia “does not object to another extension of the ‘Black Sea Initiative’ after its second term expiration on 18 March, but only for 60 days,” Vershinin said. “Our further stance will be determined upon the tangible progress on normalization of our agricultural exports, not in words, but in deeds.”

The deal signed in July 2022 and brokered by the United Nations and Turrkiye allowed Ukraine, one of the world’s key wheat producers and exporters, to ship food and fertilizer from three of its Black Sea ports.

The agreement has allowed the exports of 24 million metric tons of grain, and over 1600 secure vessel voyages through the Black Sea, with 55% of food exports going to developing countries, according to the UN website.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pushed for the extension of the agreement during meetings with Ukrainian leaders in Kiev last week. On Monday, he reaffirmed that the United Nations remains fully committed to the Black Sea Grain Initiative, as well as to efforts to facilitate the export of Russian food and fertilizer, according to a UN release. - Nampa/Xinhua