Ukraine says it will not agree to extend grain deal on current terms

The grain agreement has expired, and Russia has not yet agreed to extend it. At the same time, Ukraine says it will not extend the agreement on the current terms, as Russia constantly blocks ship inspections.

According to the Ministry of Recovery, during the almost one-year period when the grain deal was in effect, Ukraine exported more than 33 million tons of agricultural products by sea to 45 countries. According to the JCC, 11 ships with grain were inspected in July, and the average number of inspections was 1.3 ships/day, while in September-October 2022 it reached 10-11 ships/day. Since June 28, 2023, no vessels have entered Ukrainian ports, so exports from the Black Sea ports dropped to 2 million tons in June and will not exceed 0.5 million tons in July.

Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Yuriy Vaskov said that the government would not agree to extend the grain deal on the current terms and for only 120 days, as it is inefficient for farmers and exporters. If the agreement is not extended for 240 days, Ukraine will move to alternative scenarios.

One of them is to continue working with Turkey and the UN without the participation of Russia. The Ukrainian authorities have offered to provide the necessary information for any ships entering the Black Sea to ensure that they are not carrying cargo other than the declared ones. If Turkey and the UN do not agree to such conditions, Ukraine will consider the isolated operation of the grain corridor, but there is no detailed explanation of how this will work.

Earlier, the Verkhovna Rada allocated UAH 20 billion to a fund that will guarantee payments to foreign ship owners in case of damage to the vessel or goods. This may help the grain corridor continue to operate without the participation of Russia.

If the Russian navy dares to attack foreign merchant ships entering Ukrainian ports, Russian military sailors could be considered pirates, which, according to international maritime law, would put all vessels flying the Russian flag in an awkward position.

Tags: Ukraine, Black Sea grain deal