Will Return "Immediately" If Interests Upheld: Russia On Black Sea Deal
Moscow exited the deal last month, complaining that the international community had failed to ensure Russia's ability to export grain and fertiliser.
Moscow: MOSCOW, Russia – The Kremlin reiterated its position on the Black Sea grain deal on Wednesday, saying it was ready to return to it "immediately" once the component involving Russia was executed.
Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, was speaking a day after the US representative to the UN said there were "indications" that Russia would be interested in resuming talks on the pact, which allowed Ukraine to transport grain by sea.
Peskov also informed reporters that President Vladimir Putin would speak with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday morning, whose country brokered the accord with the UN in July last year.
Moscow withdrew from the agreement last month, claiming that the international community had failed to assure that Russia could freely export grain and fertilizer as part of the agreement.
When asked about the matter, Peskov stated, "Russia - and President Putin has said this 100 times - is ready to immediately return to the deal itself... only the deal must be implemented in the part that concerns the Russian Federation." As you are aware, this has not yet been accomplished."
"The West imposed sanctions against Russia without taking into account the world community's food needs; the United Nations General Secretariat is well aware of this," he added.
Although Russia's grain and manure export are not impacted by Western sanctions, Moscow has stated that payment, logistics, and insurance restrictions have hampered shipments.
The agreement was intended to help a worldwide food crisis, and grain prices have soared since Moscow allowed it to expire on July 17. Ukraine and Russia are the two largest grain exporters.
While the Black Sea pact was in effect, about 33 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain were exported.
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