Ukraine’s Black Sea grain deal extended for two months

Russia confirmed on Wednesday that a deal to allow Ukraine to export its grain safely across the Black Sea, despite Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, had been extended for two months.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the deal had been extended to help countries in need, but added that Russia’s overall assessment of the situation regarding the deal had not changed.

The agreement — brokered last July by Turkey and the United Nations — would keep open a major trade route amid Russia’s war in Ukraine, bolstering global food supplies. Moscow had threatened to withdraw from the deal if obstacles to shipments of its own crops and fertiliser were not removed.

“The extension of the grain deal is for two months. Thus, there is a chance, not in words, but in deeds, to help ensure global food security. First of all, to help the most needy countries,” Ms Zakharova told reporters in a video briefing. “Our fundamental assessments of the Istanbul agreements concluded on July 22nd, 2022, have not changed, and the distortions in their implementation must be corrected as quickly as possible.”

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Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Oleksandr Kubrakov welcomed the extension of the deal but warned that Russia must not be allowed to sabotage the agreement and must stop using food “as a weapon and blackmail”.

“We welcome the continuation of the Initiative, but emphasise that it must work effectively,” Mr Kubrakov said on Facebook.

While an extension will be a step toward keeping the agreement alive, dysfunction among the parties involved has blunted its effectiveness. Ukraine has said Moscow is purposefully slowing the pace of exports, and the corridor is now nearly empty, with no inbound ships cleared since early May.

Grain shipments through the Black Sea have been hamstrung by repeated disruptions in the joint inspections of vessels. The pace of ship examinations going forward will be crucial for Ukraine’s ability to offload its next harvests, with wheat collected from July.

Restrictions on other export routes via the European Union have added to the hurdles for local farmers. Several eastern EU countries have sought to limit crop trade with Ukraine, claiming the flows are harming their own growers.

Despite Moscow’s grievances, Russia is expected to ship record volumes of wheat this season, while its exports of fertilisers are climbing back to pre-war levels.

The agreement has enabled the safe shipment of about 30 million tons of crops since it was inked in July 2022. That has helped bring down global food-commodity prices that had spiraled to a record in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion. China and Spain rank among the top destinations for Ukraine grains.

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres welcomed the extension of the deal, noting that outstanding issues remain that Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the UN will continue to discuss. “The continuation is good news for the world,” Mr Guterres told reporters. “Looking ahead, we hope that exports of food and fertilizers, including ammonia, from the Russian Federation and Ukraine will be able to reach global supply chains safely and predictably.”

The extension comes at a crucial time for Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is seeking re-election in a runoff vote on May 28th. As one of the original mediators that helped broker the deal last year, Mr Erdogan used his role in the negotiations to portray himself as a global leader and boost his appeal to the electorate. - Reuters