Guterres sent a letter to Putin with a proposal to implement a grain deal

On July 11, UN Secretary-General António Guterres sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin containing proposals for the implementation of the second part of the grain deal, which is related to the export of Russian fertilizers. This was stated by the representative of the UN Secretary General Stéphane Dujarric.

“As part of the ongoing efforts in this direction, the Secretary General sent yesterday [11 июля] a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin outlining a proposal aimed at improving the implementation of the memorandum of understanding in order to preserve the Black Sea initiative,” he said (cit. according to TASS).

Dujarric said Guterres is open to continuing to work with Moscow on his proposals for a grain deal. He is also in contact with all interested parties, the representative of the UN Secretary General added.

He noted that the purpose of this letter is to remove “obstacles to financial transactions through Rosselkhozbank, <...> as well as the simultaneous permission to continue the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea.” According to Dujarric, the Russian side has already received the letter and is currently considering it.

The grain deal was concluded on July 22, 2022 by representatives of Turkey and the UN, on the one hand, and representatives of Russia and Ukraine, on the other. Separate agreements were concluded with Moscow and Kiev: the first was for the export of Ukrainian grain from three ports, including Odessa, Yuzhny and Chernomorsk, and the second was for assistance in the export of Russian grain and fertilizers. Moscow has repeatedly noted that the second part of the deal is not being implemented. In May, the deal was extended until July 17.

In June, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia could withdraw from the grain deal after it ends on July 17. The Kremlin previously reported that the Russian part of the agreements on the grain deal is still not being implemented, and therefore there are no grounds for its extension. July 10 Peskov confirmedthat Moscow’s position on this issue has not changed.