Wheat Ukraine. Bild: “Secret UN proposal to Russia”

Four concessions, however of considerable size, through which Russia could rejoin the agreement for the free circulation of Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea ports. This is what the German newspaper Bild revealed, specifying that the proposals would have been forwarded last 28 August from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to Russian Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov.

The four concessions, according to Bild, would be the following: circumvention of EU financial sanctions on the Russian Agricultural Bank through a special branch (Rshb Capital Sa); insure Russian ships against Ukrainian attacks (with the support of the UN and Lloyd’s); contribution to the recovery of Russian capital frozen by sanctions in the EU; access of Russian ships with food products and fertilizers to EU ports with rapid authorizations.

Bild, which defines this letter as “scandalous”, adds that it has contacted the secretary general’s staff for explanations on the proposal, but without receiving any feedback. Who, however, would have given confirmation to the German newspaper would be a spokesperson for the European Commission, according to whom “the EU has expressed its openness to Russia through the United Nations to find a more permanent and constructive solution, through a designated branch of the Bank Russian Agraria, which would allow Swift payments in line with EU sanctions for agricultural and food transactions”. Financial services provider Swift also reportedly confirmed this indirectly to Bild, saying that it is “aware of the high-level discussions currently taking place around the Black Sea Grain Initiative and we are closely monitoring developments.”

Meanwhile, the British insurance company Lloyd’s is discussing with the United Nations a deal for shipments of Ukrainian grains, in the case of a new agreement on the Black Sea grain corridor. This was reported to Reuters by the CEO of Lloyd John Neal , who said: “Are we happy and able to provide insurance in the event that a corridor can be reactivated? The answer is yes”.

For its part, Ukraine has submitted its own proposal to Turkey to manage the Black Sea grain corridor, independently of Russia. This was stated by the Ukrainian ambassador to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar , recalling that merchant ships are already sailing without restrictions in the territorial waters of Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey.

Tags: EU, sanctions, SWIFT, Black Sea ports, Black Sea grain corridor, Russian Agricultural Bank, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, grain