Russia said on Monday it had ended its participation in a deal that allowed Ukraine to export its grain by sea despite Moscow’s naval blockade, upending a deal that helped keep global food prices stable and eased one element of the global fallout from World War Two. . war.
Ukraine is a major producer of grains and other foodstuffs, and the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, said he was “deeply disappointed” by the decision. The millions of people who face, or struggle with, hunger, as well as consumers around the world facing a cost-of-living crisis, he said, “will pay the price.”
“Today’s decision by the Russian Federation will deal a blow to those in need everywhere,” he said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry S. Peskov said earlier on Monday that the agreement was “paused” until Russia’s demands are met.
“As soon as the Russian part is implemented, the Russian side will immediately return to implementing the agreement,” he said. He said the decision was not linked to the attack hours earlier on the Kerch Strait bridge linking Russia to occupied Crimea, which Russian officials blamed on Ukraine. Ukrainian officials celebrated the attack but kept silent about whether it played a role.
Russia has repeatedly complained about the agreement and threatened to withdraw from it. The Russian Foreign Ministry issued on Monday statement He confirmed his objections, including what he described as persistent “Ukrainian provocations and attacks against Russian civilian and military facilities” in the Black Sea region, and said the United Nations and Ukraine’s western allies had not made up the Russian points.
“Only upon receiving tangible results, not promises and assurances, will Russia be ready to consider restoring the agreement,” the statement said.
agreement, known as Black Sea Grain Initiative Mediated by the United Nations and Turkey, it was set to expire on Monday after the latest in a series of short-term extensions. The last one was in May.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the agreement and expressed hope it could be revived.
“Despite today’s statement, I believe that the President of the Russian Federation, my friend Putin, wants this humanitarian bridge to continue,” Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Moscow had breached its agreement with the United Nations and with Mr Erdogan, not his country, given that Ukraine struck a separate deal with the two mediators.
“Even without the Russian Federation, everything must be done so that we can use this Black Sea corridor,” Mr. Zelensky said in remarks made by his press office, adding that Ukraine is ready to transship if the United Nations and Turkey agree.
The deal allowed Ukraine to resume exporting millions of tons of grain that had been held back for months after the invasion. The agreement also alleviated the shortages that resulted from the blockade in the first months of the war. Wheat prices were volatile on Monday, exposing vulnerable countries to the prospect of a new round of wheat prices Food insecurity.
Moscow complained that Western sanctions continued to restrict the sale of its agricultural products, and He sought guarantees It facilitates its exports of grain and fertilizers. At some point last year, Russia briefly halted its participation in the ship inspections that are part of the agreement, only to rejoin within days.
In an effort to extend the deal, Mr. Guterres sent Mr. Putin proposals last week that he said he would “remove obstacles affecting financial transactions” through Russia’s Agricultural Bank. But a UN spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, said on Monday that there were no plans for the two men to speak.
Ukraine has exported 32.8 million tons of grain and other agricultural products since the initiative was launched, according to United Nations data. Under the agreement, the ships are allowed passage by Russian naval vessels that have effectively closed off Ukraine’s ports since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Anthony J. warned Blinken, the US secretary of state, speaking to reporters Monday, described the “profoundly frightening impact” on Ukraine’s food exports and the “safety, security and predictability” they provide for commercial shippers.
While Ukraine has been able to export grain via land routes, the volumes are much smaller than those that can be transported by sea. Higher tariffs and other barriers also frustrated farmers in neighboring countries, who flooded their markets with cheaper Ukrainian grain.
Mr. Blinken said the United States would work with Ukraine to find alternative means of export, including by rail, but added that “it’s really hard to replace what’s been lost now as a result of Russia weaponizing food.”
Shafak TimurAnd Daniel Victor And Farnaz Fassihi Contribute to the preparation of reports.
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