Ukraine may resume transit of ammonia in exchange for the safety of grain exports

Ukraine may resume supplies of Russian ammonia if the UN guarantees the safety of grain exports. About it informs Reuters, citing Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of the country Yuri Vaskov.

“If this is a key issue, then they, the UN, should clearly say that if the ammonia pipeline resumes operation, then Ukraine will have such opportunities (to export grain in a normal way), and then our top political leadership will decide whether this is in our interests or not.” Vaskov said.

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.

24 May 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.

Russia put forward a demand for the resumption of operation of the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline, which is designed to transport up to 2.5 million tons of ammonia per year. This is one of the conditions for the further extension of the grain deal.

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. If these requirements are not met. 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.