EU does not intend to connect Rosselkhozbank to SWIFT as part of a grain deal

Sanctions can be lifted from the Russian Agricultural Bank (RSHB) only after the end of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, said the official representative of the EU foreign service, Peter Stano. The reconnection of the RSHB to SWIFT is a requirement of Russia as part of the grain deal, which was extended last week.

“As for the de-SWIFT-ing of Russian banks, this is part of the sanctions imposed by the European Union and other countries,” said Mr. Stano “Izvestia”. He noted that the restrictions can be eased or lifted only after the end of the conflict.

According to the representative of the EU foreign service, only the military operations in Ukraine interfere with the unhindered trade flows and the export of food and agricultural products through the Black Sea. He believes that the conflict has “exacerbated already serious global food security problems.” However, Mr. Stano noted that the Brussels sanctions do not affect trade in agricultural and food products between Russia and third countries, and between them “payment options still exist.”

The grain deal, concluded in the summer of 2022 between the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the UN and Turkey, involves opening ports in Ukraine for the export of agricultural products and unblocking the export of Russian food and fertilizers. Moscow has repeatedly criticized the implementation of the part of the deal that concerns its exports. Russia last week extended deal unchanged, but promised to stop its implementation after July 17 if her demands are not met. Among them is the reconnection of Rosselkhozbank to SWIFT. At the same time, the Kremlin reported that options were being worked out that would be “equivalent to unblocking SWIFT.”

On the extension of the deal – in the material “Kommersant” “Wheat floats on”.

Leonid Uvarchev