Russian Foreign Minister Accuses West of ‘Shamelessly Burying’ Black Sea Grain Deal

While remaining in the agreement, Russia has repeatedly criticized the West's strategy to the July agreement, claiming that countries that have put sanctions on Moscow are not doing enough to ease restrictions on Russia's own exports, particularly fertilizers.

"The West is shamelessly dumping the well-known humanitarian initiative of the United Nations Secretary-General," Lavrov said at a G20 meeting of foreign ministers, referring to the grain deal.

At the same G20 meeting in India, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Russia had "deliberately and systematically" created a backlog of grain shipments in recent months, while its own food, grain, and fertiliser exports continue.

"It is critical that the G20 speak out in support of extending and expanding the grain initiative in order to strengthen food security for the most vulnerable," Blinken said.

The current phase of the Black Sea initiative, mediated by Turkey and the UN, concludes on March 18. If no party files a formal objection, it will be extended.

Prior to a previous deadline to extend the agreement in November, Russia increased its criticism of the agreement in an attempt to elicit more concessions from the West, but ultimately let it lapse for another 120 days.

Russia's foreign ministry stated on Wednesday that it would only agree to a second extension if the interests of its own agricultural producers were considered.

Although Western sanctions have not specifically targeted Russia's agricultural sector, Moscow claims that the sanctions affect payments, shipping, and insurance, creating a "barrier" to grain and fertilizer exports.