2023-07-15 18:00:26
Two days before the Ukrainian grain export agreement expires, Russian President Vladimir Putin insists on conditions for an extension. Commitments to removing obstacles to Russian food and fertilizer exports have not been met, Putin said in a phone call with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday, according to the Kremlin.
Putin pointed out to Ramaphosa that there was no basis for extending the agreement to ship Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea. Moscow’s demands for an end to export restrictions on Russian food and fertilizers remained unfulfilled, the Kremlin said on Saturday after the talks in Moscow. The agreement expires this Monday (July 17). Suspension is also possible until Russia sees its conditions met.
The United Nations, which together with Turkey brokered the repeatedly extended agreement between Russia and Ukraine, called on Putin to continue the initiative. Ukrainian grain is also important in the fight against world hunger. During the talks initiated by Ramaphosa, Putin also stated that the main goal of the agreement, to supply needy countries on the African continent, for example, had not been implemented, the Kremlin said.
Moscow complains that the West has not relaxed its sanctions against Russia in the wake of the Ukraine war. For example, the country sees itself unable to export its own grain and fertilizer to the desired extent due to punitive measures against the Russian state agricultural bank. There are also problems with insuring the freight.
Russia recently said that the West had a year to come up with a solution. Because this is missing, the transport of Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea could come to a complete standstill – as after the start of the Russian war of aggression on February 24, 2022. The blockade of grain exports was only ended in July 2022 by the agreement.
According to the Kremlin, Putin and Ramaphosa also arranged to meet at the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg at the end of the month. However, it is still unclear whether Putin will then personally attend the summit of the emerging Brics countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) in South Africa from August 22 to 24. Because there is an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court in The Hague against the Kremlin boss for his war against Ukraine, the 70-year-old should fear arrest in Johannesburg.
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