Russia not to extend grain deal unless agreements enforced by July 17 – Lavrov

The extension of the grain deal is out of the question unless the package of agreements is enforced, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at the 46th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), according to a statement released on the ministry’s website.

“I have to state again that any further extension is out of the question unless the Istanbul package (of agreements) is enforced as it was initiated by UN Secretary-General (Antonio Guterres), by July 17,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lavrov noted that the package of agreements signed on July 22, 20222, is still being implemented only regarding the supply of Ukrainian grain. “Part of the package on the Russian ammonia is not working,” he said, adding that “there is no progress either in the implementation of the Russia-UN memorandum aimed at ensuring the real withdrawal of Russian agriculture products and fertilizers from illegal unilateral Western sanctions.”

The Ukrainian part of the grain deal has long been turned into a commercial project, with only around 3% of grain flowing to poorest countries, Lavrov stressed. “The Ukrainian part of the Black Sea initiative turned into a commercial project long ago. The statistics of the Joint coordination center shows that only around 3% flow to poorest countries,” the minister said.