Russian Foreign Ministry: the memorandum of the Russian Federation and the UN in case of termination of the grain deal will be valid

The memorandum between Russia and the UN on the supply of Russian agricultural products and fertilizers to world markets will continue to operate in the event of termination of the grain deal, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told reporters. writes TASS.

“No, it won’t,” Grushko said, answering a question about whether the memorandum between Russia and the UN would cease to operate if the grain deal was terminated.

As the Deputy Foreign Minister noted, the grain deal took place only because “the parties involved in it came to a common point of view that, in the face of global security risks, it is necessary to find ways to export grain and fertilizers from certain ports of Ukraine and the Russian Federation.”

Grushko stressed that if Western countries are interested in ensuring food security, they “should really move towards lifting any restrictions,” illegally imposed sanctions on Russian grain, fertilizers, and resolving other problems that the West has created. He recalled that “only 3% of all grain” went to the poorest countries.

On June 13, during a meeting with military commanders, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared about the Kremlin’s consideration of the option to withdraw from the grain deal. Journalists earlier clarified from the press secretary of the head of state Dmitry Peskov, whether we are talking about an early exit or at the end of the deadline. “At the end,” he said.

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 signed with Moscow and Kiev: the first one was for the export of Ukrainian grain from three ports, including Odessa, Yuzhny and Chernomorsk, the second one was to help facilitate the export of Russian grain and fertilizers under international sanctions in connection with the special operation. Moscow has repeatedly pointed out that the second part of the deal is not being implemented. The last time the deal was extended until July 17.