Peskov announced the discussion of the issue of transit of ammonia through Ukraine

Discussions on the issue of the transit of Russian ammonia through Ukraine as part of a grain deal continue, said Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the Russian President.

Earlier, Reuters, citing a source reportedthat the UN proposed to Moscow, Kyiv and Ankara to start preparatory work on the transit of Russian ammonia through Ukraine. In this regard, journalists asked Peskov if there were such proposals and what was the reaction.

“This is one of the issues that is on the agenda in terms of the Black Sea initiative, which has not yet been implemented, not completed. Discussions on this issue are ongoing,” the spokesman commented.

May 19 Reuters informedthat Ukraine will consider the possibility of resuming the transit of Russian ammonia through its territory, provided that Russia expands the grain deal to more ports and goods.

After the Russian Foreign Ministry did a statement that the terms of the deal could not be extended. Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed that the Russian side had previously communicated its position on this issue.

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.

On May 17, the grain deal was extended for another two months. Russia insists on five “systemic” objectives of the deal, on which there is no progress: reconnecting Rosselkhozbank to SWIFT, resuming supplies of spare parts for agricultural machinery, unblocking transport logistics and insurance, restoring the ammonia pipeline and unfreezing the assets of Russian companies. On May 18, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that if Russia’s conditions are not met, then “there is no question of any expansion of the” Black Sea initiative “in principle.