MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Kremlin said on Tuesday it was impossible for Russia to return to the Black Sea export agreement until an agreement related to Russia’s interests was respected, echoing UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ call for Moscow to return.
Guterres on Monday urged Russia to once again allow Ukraine to send grain safely to its ports despite Russia calling it a “special military operation”, in line with a proposal he made to President Vladimir Putin.
But the Kremlin suggested that Guterres’ proposal did not address its main complaint: that there had been no progress on a parallel agreement designed to facilitate Russian food and fertilizer exports without Western sanctions imposed in response to the war.
“Yes, the letter of Mr. Guterres also explained the nature of the action plan and contains promises that at some point it will be possible to implement the Russian part of these arrangements,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Unfortunately, at the moment it is not possible to return to the agreement because (the agreement related to Russia) is not implemented, and de facto it has not been implemented.”
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Peskov said that Putin has made it clear, however, that Moscow will be ready to renew the agreement when the memorandum related to Russia is fulfilled.
The agreement, signed by the United Nations and Turkey last July, aims to help prevent a global food crisis by allowing grain blocked by the war in Ukraine to be safely exported.
Peskov said it will be important for Russia to discuss grain issues with African countries at the Russia-Africa summit on Thursday and Friday.
Russia has talked about the possibility of providing cheap or free wheat to poor countries in Africa.
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Andrew Osborn; Editing by)
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