News in brief: Russia has suggested a return to the Black Sea Grain Deal if the US is willing to discuss lifting agricultural export restrictions, accusing the US of being unwilling to resolve the impasse.
Russia has hinted on a possibility of returning to the Black Sea Grain Deal if the United States (US) is ready to discuss lifting the restrictions on its agricultural exports.
According to information from the countryâs embassy in Washington, Russia blamed the US for its ‘unwillingness’ in ending the impasse. It claimed that it will resume the deal as soon as it solves ‘systemic tasks’ aimed at promoting its agricultural export.
The statement, published on Telegram, comes in the wake of a recent US Department of State press briefing where Deputy spokesperson, Vedant Patel, told journalists that the discontinuation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative hurt vulnerable communities. He added that the US is assessing other available options to ensure that supply continues.
However, Patel refused to comment on lifting sanctions on Russiaâs agricultural exports and Moscowâs demands to re-enter its agricultural bank to the SWIFT payment system.
In a swift response, Russia accused the US of impeding food flow to countries in need. It noted the US’ unwillingness to discuss the topic of unblocking the supply of Russian agricultural products, jeopardising vulnerable communities.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Turkeyâs President Tayyip Erdogan had visited his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to discuss the possibility of reviving the grain deal after the United Nations (UN) had stressed the importance of the deal in getting Ukrainian grains to global markets.
However, Putin insisted on the fulfilment of its conditions before the possibility of a Russian re-commitment to the deal. Yet, Erdogan was optimistic about Russia’s return to the deal, saying that they will reach a solution soon.
Russia quit the deal in July 2023 on the grounds that its own food and fertiliser exports faced serious obstacles.
