Ukraine expects online talks to extend grain deal in the near future

UkrAgroConsult

Ukraine expects negotiations on the extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative to take place in the coming days. This was stated by Ambassador of Ukraine to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar.

“Of course, the negotiations mediated by Ukraine and the UN are ongoing. We expect that online negotiations will take place in the coming days. The aggressor country is trying to block the passage of ships and the possibility of inspections in general, it is a “tool of pressure,” he said.

According to him, Russia, by calling May 18 the date when the grain deal is supposedly terminated, is trying to put pressure not only on Ukraine, but also on the UN and Turkey. He emphasized that this is especially true given the upcoming elections in Turkey.

Bodnar is confident that it will be possible to find leverage on the aggressor country, and the grain needed for global food security will leave Ukrainian ports.

As a reminder, on March 18, Ukraine’s Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said that the grain agreement, which aims to guarantee the safe passage of ships from Ukrainian Black Sea ports for food exports, had been extended for another 120 days.

In turn, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims that the country has agreed to extend the initiative for only 60 days, i.e. until May 18. Moscow has threatened to withdraw from the agreement if a number of conditions are not met. These included unblocking the foreign assets and accounts of Russian companies related to food and fertilizers, as well as resuming the supply of agricultural machinery, spare parts, and service. Russia also wants to restore the Togliatti-Odesa ammonia pipeline and reconnect Rosselkhozbank to the SWIFT system.

Deputy Foreign Minister of the aggressor country Sergey Vershinin said that the grain deal “will cease to exist” if Russia does not receive guarantees of fulfillment of its demands by May 18.

On May 10-11, representatives of Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, and the UN met in Istanbul. Following the meeting, the Turkish Ministry of Defense reported that the parties agreed to continue negotiations on the grain initiative.

Tags: Black Sea grain corridor