The Kremlin threatens not to extend the “grain deal” because the EU has not fulfilled Russia’s demands

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that the prospects for a landmark UN-brokered Black Sea “grain deal” are not good, as Russia’s demands to remove obstacles to Russian agricultural exports and fertilizer exports have not been met.

On paper, Russia is allowed to export food and fertilizers, including ammonia, but Moscow says Russian food and fertilizer exports are compromised by obstacles such as insurance and payments, Reuters reports.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the current agreement does not work for Russia, despite some efforts by the United Nations to implement those parts of the agreement that relate to Moscow’s interests.

It is noted that according to Moscow, the “grain deal” expires on May 18. Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that since the Russian half of the agreement did not work, it may not be extended.

The newspaper reports that Russia has repeatedly stated that any further extension of the grain deal will require the West to fulfill a number of its requirements, including the reconnection of the Russian Agricultural Bank (Rosselkhozbank) to the SWIFT payment system.

As a reminder, the grain deal, which aims to ensure the safe passage of ships from Ukrainian Black Sea ports to export food, was signed on July 21, 2022. On November 19, the agreement was extended for a 120-day period, expiring on March 18, 2023.

Tags: Russia, Black Sea grain corridor