Peskov urged to wait for a decision on the grain deal

It is inappropriate to build hypothetical arguments about the fate of the grain deal; one should wait for a decision on the initiative. This statement was made by the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov.

“I don’t think that any hypothetical reasoning is appropriate here. You know that no decision has been made yet. Here you just need to wait until it is announced,” he said, answering a question about Russia’s actions in case of non-renewal of the grain deal.

The day before, May 16, Peskov notedthat many questions about the Russian part of the deal “still remain open.” He promised to inform journalists when a decision on the fate of the initiative is made.

May 12 Kremlin representative declaredthat there is no information on the possibility of extending the grain deal yet, contacts on this issue are ongoing. At the same time, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar informed on the movement of the parties in the direction of extending the grain deal. At the same time, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya pointed out on the lack of progress in the implementation of the Russian part of the grain deal.

The grain deal expires on May 18. At the end of April, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declaredthat the situation around the agreement reached an impasse. According to him, the West does not want to remove obstacles to the export of Russian fertilizers, despite their shortage, and also to connect Rosselkhozbank to SWIFT. The Kremlin also called the prospects for extending the agreement “not very good.”

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.