Lavrov called the next two months decisive for the grain deal

The next two months will be critical for the future of the grain deal, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow.

“Given the whole range of circumstances, taking into account the appeal of our partners, we supported the President’s initiative [Турции] Erdogan, which he announced yesterday, to extend this deal for another two months, but with a clear understanding that these two months will be decisive,” indicated minister (quoted by RIA Novosti)

On May 17, the grain deal was extended for another two months. The last time it was extended for the same period on March 18. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara will make every effort to fully implement the deal and extend it in subsequent periods. In the Kremlin today confirmed extension of the deal, noting the relative result in the negotiations with the participation of representatives of Turkey, Ukraine and the UN. According to the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov, the fate of the deal is in the hands of those with whom the UN must agree on the Russian part of the agreement.

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.

April 14 Russian Foreign Ministry put forward five conditions for extending the grain deal. Among the conditions were announced the connection of Rosselkhozbank to the SWIFT settlement system; the resumption of deliveries to Russia of agricultural machinery, spare parts and service, which fell under Western sanctions; abolition of restrictions on insurance and reinsurance of Russian grain ships and removal of the ban on their access to ports; restoration of the operation of the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline (the UN promised to open it in December 2022); unblocking foreign assets and accounts of Russian companies associated with the production and transportation of food and fertilizers.