By Janet Ekstract
ISTANBUL- On Saturday, TRT World reported that UN-Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will hold talks on Monday on the Black Sea Grain deal that is in jeopardy if Russia decides not to extend it beyond May 18. On April 13, Russian officials announced that they don’t plan on adhering to any extension unless certain blocks are removed that would allow Russia to export its grain and fertilizer.
The UN-brokered deal with assistance from Turkiye, to export grain from Ukraine was made last July to keep the world out of a major food shortage that has threatened markets since the conflict has disrupted shipping of grain supplies from the world’s two largest suppliers – Ukraine and Russia. In a previous statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, the comment was: “Without progress on solving five systemic problems.. there is no need to talk about the further extension of the Black Sea Initiative after May 18.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry’s complaint is that in its view, the grain deal is only serving the interests of Western countries. As the ministry further stated: “We note that, despite all the high-sounding statements about global food security and assistance to countries in need, the Black Sea Initiative both served and continues to serve exclusively commercial exports of Kyiv in the interests of Western countries.” Part of the deal to get Russia to permit Ukraine to resume its Black Sea grain exports, a separate three-year agreement was made last July where the UN agreed to assist Russia with its food and fertilizer exports.
