‘Parody of generosity’: At G20 Summit, EU criticises Russia for pulling out of Black Sea grain deal

During the G20 Summit in New Delhi, the European Union reprimanded Russia, on Saturday (September 9) for pulling out of the Black Sea grain deal, which provided a safe passage for Ukraine to export its grain and called its offer of a million tonnes of grain to African countries a “parody of generosity”. Separately, Russia said it was sticking to its conditions to return to the grain deal which it quit back in July.

‘Parody of generosity’

During the talks in New Delhi, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, said that the United Nations-Turkey brokered deal, which allowed the delivery of Ukrainian grain to vulnerable countries was 30 times more in volume than what Russia has offered to Africa.

“And what cynicism...you did not accept this,” Michel said in comments directed to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov who is representing Moscow at the summit.

“Not only have you decided to pull out of this agreement on the Black Sea, but at the same time you are attacking the port infrastructure,” said the European Council president.

“To add insult to injury, Russia is offering 1 million tons of grain to African countries in a parody of generosity,” said Michel, adding, “What cynicism and contempt for African countries.”

Meanwhile, G20 leaders in the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration called for the “full, timely and effective implementation to ensure the immediate and unimpeded deliveries of grain, foodstuffs, and fertilisers/inputs from the Russian Federation and Ukraine.”

Adding that it is “necessary to meet the demand in developing and least developed countries, particularly those in Africa.”

Russia rejects UN bank proposal

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, on Saturday, said that Russia is sticking to its demands to rejoin the grain deal and rejected the UN’s proposal that a Luxembourg-based subsidiary of Rosselkhozbank could immediately apply to SWIFT to “effectively enable access” for the bank within 30 days.

“All our conditions are perfectly well known. They do not need interpretation, they are absolutely concrete and all this is absolutely achievable,” said Peskov. “Therefore Russia maintains its responsible, clear and consistent position, which has been repeatedly voiced by the president,” he added.

The statement comes months after Russia backed out of the Black Sea grain deal saying Western sanctions are hindering its grain and fertiliser exports.

While the exports are not directly sanctioned by the West, it is sanctions against port access, insurance, logistics and payments, including the removal of agricultural bank Rosselkhozbank from SWIFT, which Moscow says is affecting its export.

“The agreements say that SWIFT should be open to Rosselkhozbank, and not to its subsidiary. That is, we are talking about the need to return to the basics, to the agreements that were in place originally and which we were promised would be fulfilled,” said Peskov.

(With inputs from agencies)

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