2023-07-19 20:38:48
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday accused Western countries of using the Ukrainian grain export agreement – from which Moscow withdrew this week – as a tool for “political blackmail”, but he said that Russia would return to the agreement immediately if all its conditions were met.
“Instead of helping countries in dire need, the West used the grain deal for purposes of political blackmail, turning it into a tool to enrich multinationals and speculators in the global market,” Putin said during a cabinet meeting.
The Russian president added that his country can replace Ukrainian grain on the world market, whether it is free or on a commercial basis.
Moscow gave the United Nations three months to implement the terms of a memorandum that would facilitate Russian agricultural exports, if it wanted Moscow to resume talks on allowing the continuation of Ukrainian grain exports.
Russia said last Monday that it had suspended its participation in a year-long agreement brokered by the United Nations and Turkey that allowed the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, due to its complaint about not fulfilling promises to facilitate its export of foodstuffs and fertilizers, explaining that Western sanctions impede its exports of food and fertilizers.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, said a few days ago that Russia’s withdrawal from the Ukrainian grain agreement also means the suspension of the agreement related to helping to facilitate the export of Russian grain and fertilizers.
The Ukrainian grain agreement was extended three times and expired last Monday. The agreement facilitated the export of tons of grain and foodstuffs as part of attempts to address the global food crisis, which escalated to record levels after Russia launched the war on Ukraine.
military shipments
And earlier today, Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that starting tomorrow, Thursday, it will deal with all ships destined for Ukrainian ports as potential carriers of military cargo, days after the collapse of the agreement, which Russia has been criticizing in recent weeks.
The ministry added that the countries whose flags the aforementioned ships fly will be considered parties to the conflict, referring to the Russian-Ukrainian war.
On the other hand, Mykhailo Podolyak, advisor to the Ukrainian presidency, said today, Wednesday, that his country proposes to conduct international military patrols with a mandate from the United Nations to ensure the security of grain exports in the Black Sea, after Russia’s withdrawal from the grain agreement.
Podolyak added that countries bordering the Black Sea – such as Turkey and Bulgaria – should participate in international military patrols.
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