Guterres called for an extension of the grain deal
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UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday called for an extension of the agreement with Moscow on the export of grain through the Black Sea ports of Ukraine, informs Reuters. The grain deal expires March 18.
Guterres met with Zelensky in Kyiv today to discuss the extension of the grain deal with him. According to the agency, the head of the Ukrainian state during the visit said that the Black Sea agreement is necessary for the world, and the UN Secretary General emphasized the importance of the deal for global food security and food prices.
“I want to emphasize the exceptional importance of prolonging the grain initiative on March 18 and working to create conditions for the maximum possible use of the export infrastructure through the Black Sea in accordance with the goals of the initiative,” Guterres said.
Earlier, Reuters, citing an official in the Ukrainian government, announced the start of negotiations on a grain deal between Kiev and the UN. The source noted that Ukraine does not negotiate directly with Russia. Kiev proceeds from the fact that Ukraine’s partners are discussing this issue with Moscow, the source said.
On March 7, it also became known that next week a meeting of the Russian delegation with UN representatives to extend the grain deal would take place in Geneva. According to Deputy Representative of the UN Secretary General Farhan Haq, Guterres is open for negotiations with Moscow.
The grain deal expires March 18. In February, Kiev announced plans to extend the initiative for a year and include the export of grain from the ports of Nikolaev. Later, the State Department urged Russia to “do the right thing” – to extend and expand the agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain. The UN also called for an extension of the deal “at any cost.”
In early March, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused the West of sabotaging the deal. The department pointed to the refusal to lift restrictions on the supply of Russian fertilizers and agricultural products. Then the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said that Russia was ready to continue participating in the grain deal, subject to equality.
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