ANKARA: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday threatened to abandon a landmark grain deal with Ukraine if obstacles to Moscow´s exports remained.
Negotiated in July by Turkiye and the United Nations, the agreement allows Ukraine -- one of the world´s top grain producers -- to export grain through a safe corridor in the Black Sea. “If there is no further progress in removing barriers to the export of Russian fertilisers and grain, we will think about whether this deal is necessary,” Lavrov told a news conference in the Turkish capital Ankara, alongside his counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu.
The agreement has so far allowed the export of more than 27 million tonnes of grain and agricultural products. It was renewed twice. When it was extended in March, Russia said it would be valid for 60 days instead of the 120 days in the original agreement.
Moscow has been complaining that its side of the agreement, promising the right to export fertiliser, is not being respected. Turkey is pushing for a 120-day extension although it acknowledges that the agreement has not been fully implemented.
“We value the continuation of the agreement which is also important in terms of reducing the global food crisis,” Cavusoglu said. There are no sanctions on Russian exports of food and fertilisers to global markets but the problems are related to the secondary sanctions imposed on shipping and insurance companies as well as banks.
US President-elect Donald Trump speaks at an event in West Palm Beach, Florida. — AFP/FileWASHINGTON: Donald Trump...
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks with Ukrainian soldiers during a visit to a military camp in eastern France in...
This handout photo taken on December 14, 2024 and released by the South Korean Presidential Office shows then...
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers his speech to French ambassadors posted around the world, Monday, Jan. 6,...
A person walks down a street during a winter storm in Souris, Prince Edward Island, Canada, January 6, 2025. —...
The team behind the Charlie Hebdo satirical newspaper pose during a photo session in Paris in March 2024....