Several international media reported an extension for 120 days.
The Russian authorities have published the document confirming Moscow’s consent to extend the agreement on the transportation of grain from the Black Sea ports for 60 days.
In a letter to Martin Griffith, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, it is reported that “the Turkish and Ukrainian sides were simultaneously notified on March 13, 2023 on Russia’s decision not to object to the extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative by 60 daysthat is, until May 18, 2023″.
However, several international media previously announced an extension of the pact for a period of 120 days.
The fate of the agreement beyond the official deadline indicated by Moscow will depend on “if tangible progress is achieved on the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between Russia and the UN Secretariat on assistance in promoting Russian food and fertilizer in global markets”, reads the document signed by Russia’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzia.
Assistance measures include:
- the unblocking of transactions using the SWIFT system of the Russian Agricultural Bank,
- the resumption of supplies to Russia of agricultural machinery and spare parts,
- lifting restrictions on insurance and port access for Russian ships and cargo,
- the resumption of ammonia supplies through the Togliatti-Odessa pipeline,
- the unblocking of the accounts and financial activities of Russian fertilizer companies.
This Saturday, the Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Alexander Kubrakov, tweeted that the grain pact has been extended for 120 days, a statement quickly spread in the media.
The agreement allowing Ukrainian cargo to navigate through a safe broker was reached last August with the mediation of Turkey and the UN to alleviate the international food crisis and was subsequently extended, for the first time, by 120 days.
Before accepting its latest extension, Moscow has already denounced that part of the commitments made by the United Nations, which includes the export of Russian agricultural products and fertilizers, had not been fulfilled.
Earlier this month, the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that the grain shipping deal is not working because the West sabotage the conditions stipulated by Moscow. According to Russia, the deal has only effectively unlocked the commercial exports of grain from the Ukraine, so that food does not flow to needy countries in Africa and Asia, but to Europe, while Russian exports of fertilizers and grain continue to be paralyzed by the West.
