Kremlin Declares No Positive Prospects for Renewal of Black Sea Grain Deal

The Kremlin announced on Thursday that it sees no positive prospects for renewing the Black Sea grain deal due to unfulfilled conditions affecting Russia. However, a final decision has not been made yet.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative, a crucial agreement allowing Ukraine to resume sea-borne grain exports, was brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in July of last year. The deal aimed to address a global food crisis that had been worsened by Europe's deadliest conflict since World War Two.

Reluctantly, Moscow agreed to extend the agreement until July 17, on the condition that it would also receive assistance with its own food and fertilizer exports. However, the Kremlin expressed disappointment that no such aid has been provided.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov commented that the work was in progress and expressed a lack of optimism, stating that they did not observe any particularly positive prospects. He mentioned that the agreed-upon terms concerning them had not been fulfilled.

Peskov highlighted the transparency of the situation, as the agreements involved multiple parties. He further stated that the Russian side had fulfilled its obligations and confirmed that the established mechanism was still operational. However, he expressed that this state of affairs could not continue indefinitely. The Kremlin would decide in accordance with the expiration date specified in the agreement, and the announcement would be made at the appropriate time.

On Tuesday, President Vladimir Putin accused the West of "cheating" Moscow by failing to deliver on promises to facilitate Russian agricultural goods' access to global markets. While Russia's food and fertilizer exports are not under sanctions, the West's restrictions on payments, logistics, and insurance pose significant barriers to shipments, according to Moscow.

It has been reported that on June 17, Putin will discuss the future of the grain deal with African leaders during a meeting in Russia, according to the media sources. In his statements on Tuesday, the Russian leader expressed the country's willingness to provide grain free of charge to the world's poorest nations.