Russian Diplomat Expresses Confidence in West's Ability to Resolve Grain Deal Issues

The Black Sea grain export agreement was renewed for 60 days last month, but Russia has indicated that it may not agree to extend it further unless the West lifts barriers to Russian grain and fertilizer exports.

The agreement, which established a secured transit corridor to allow exports to resume from three Ukrainian ports, has aided in addressing a worldwide food crisis that U.N. experts claimed had been exacerbated significantly by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"(The agreement) must be fully implemented as agreed in Istanbul in July 2022. The West still has time to remove obstacles to the full implementation of the agreements," Ulyanov stated on the Telegram messaging app.

Western powers placed harsh sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Its food and fertilizer exports are not sanctioned, but Moscow claims that payment, logistics, and insurance limitations are impeding shipments.

Moscow has made many demands for an extension, including the reconnection of the Russian Agricultural Bank (Rosselkhozbank) to the SWIFT payment system and the lifting of restrictions on agricultural machinery and parts.

When asked if there had been any movement on Russia's demands on Wednesday, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said officials were "trying to doggedly move the process forward."