Moscow, (EFE).- Russia declared today that it has informed all the participants of the grain agreement that allows the export of cereals through the Black Sea that extends this pact for only 60 days.
“We say it again. The Russian Federation agreed to an extension of only 60 days,” said the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zajárova, quoted by the official TASS news agency.
The Russian diplomat’s statement came shortly after Ukrainian Minister of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov announced on his Facebook page that the grain deal “has been extended for another 120 days.”
Fundamental role of the UN and Turkey
Kubrakov expressed his gratitude to the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, and the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as the group of allied countries participating in the mediation.
According to the Russian spokeswoman, all the parties to the agreement were informed “not only verbally, but through special notes” of Russia’s decision to extend the grain pact for only 60 days.
Russia insists that it has fulfilled all the commitments in the agreement, but the same has not happened with the promises made to it to facilitate its exports of food and fertilizers.
In parallel to the Black Sea Agreement, the United Nations agreed with Russia on a memorandum to this end and the organization admits that, despite much progress, Russian sales continue to encounter difficulties, mainly due to the side effects of Western sanctions.
Moscow, in turn, considers the 60-day period “sufficient” to comply “with deeds and not words” the memorandum signed between Russia and the UN.
The grain agreement – originally sealed last July by Ukraine and Russia with the support of Turkey and the United Nations – was extended for the last time last November and expired today.