The Foreign Ministry accused Kyiv of trying to extract additional benefits from the grain deal

The authorities of Ukraine, putting forward new conditions for the resumption of the transit of Russian ammonia, are trying to negotiate additional benefits in the framework of the grain deal, the report says. comments Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Sergei Vershinin.

“In Kiev, both they have and continue to furnish the export of Russian ammonia with various preconditions, they are trying to literally bargain for additional benefits, which they openly declare publicly,” the report says.

Vershinin stressed that the resumption of the export of Russian ammonia, which was part of the agreements signed in Istanbul, is necessary not only to add new ports, as Kiev insists, but also to continue the grain deal after July 17.

The Foreign Ministry also added that the resumption of Russian ammonia exports is in line with the UN’s stated goals to ensure global food security. At the same time, the UN “continues to speculate” on this topic, creating “the appearance of some new efforts and contacts,” the diplomat stressed.

Earlier, Reuters reported that Ukraine will consider the possibility of resuming the transit of Russian ammonia through its territory, provided that Russia expands the grain deal to a greater number of ports and goods. Later, Reuters learned about the UN offer to Moscow, Kyiv and Ankara to start preparatory work on the transit of Russian ammonia through Ukraine.

Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov, commenting on this information today, declaredthat the discussion of the issue of the transit of Russian ammonia continues.

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. 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.”