Ukraine grain deal extended for two more months, Russia slams ‘distortions’ in implementation

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on Wednesday (May 17), announced a two-month extension of the United Nations-backed deal allowing the war-torn to ship grains across the Black Sea to global markets. This comes as the last ship left a Ukrainian port under the deal which was due to expire on Thursday.

“With the efforts of our country, the support of our Russian friends, the contribution of our Ukrainian friends, it was decided to prolong the Black Sea grain deal for two more months,” said the Turkish president, as quoted by news agency AFP.

In a televised speech, Erdogan also thanked Russian and Ukrainian leaders as well as the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for their help.Russia agreed not to block ships from leaving two Ukrainian harbours, Erdogan said while expressinghope that the deal would be "beneficial for all the parties".

The decision also comes as officials from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the UN which make up a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) gathered in Istanbul, last week, to discuss the extension of the Black Sea pact.

"These agreements matter for global food security -Ukrainian and Russian products feed the world," saidGuterres as he welcomedthe move, and stressedthe needfor a more comprehensive, longer-term agreement.

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The JCC officials near Turkey typically inspect and authorise ships before it travels to a Ukrainian Black Sea port via a maritime humanitarian corridor to collect their cargo and return to Turkish waters for a final inspection, as per Reuters. However, no vessels had been authorised by the JCC since May 4.

Ukraine is'grateful' to UN, Turkey

After the extension was confirmed,Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov took to Twitter and thankedUnited Nations and Turkey for their efforts. "The Black Sea Grain Initiative has been unblocked, (and) continues to be valid" until July 18, said Kubrakov, adding thatKyiv was "grateful to our partners" for their efforts in "strengthening food security."

Russia's overall assessment remains unchanged

The extension of the deal was later confirmed byForeign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova who said that it would helpcountries in need, adding that Moscow'soverall assessment of the situation regarding the deal had not changed. This comes as Russia had threatened to pull out of the deal unlessa list of conditions were met.

"Our fundamental assessments of the Istanbul agreements concluded on July 22, 2022, have not changed, and the distortions in their implementation must be corrected as quickly as possible," saidZakharovain a video briefing to the press.

Notably, the UN back in July had agreed to help Moscow with its own agricultural shipments for three years. “There are still a lot of open questions regarding our part of the deal. Now a decision will have to be taken,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, on Tuesday.

This comes as Moscow said restrictions on payments, logistics and insurance have amounted to a barrier to shipments. However, the United States has since rejected these complaints and said that Russia is “exporting grain and fertiliser at the same levels, if not higher, than before the full scale invasion.”

Black Sea grain export deal

Among thousands of sanctions imposed by the West against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, exports of food and fertiliser have not reportedly been a part of any of such restrictions. According to the data from the UN, the DSM Capella, the last vessel now operating under the deal, had left the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk carrying 30,000 tonnes of corn and was on its way to Turkey.

The UN-Turkey brokered deal allowing the safe passage of ships through the Black Sea began as an initial 120 days in July last year to help tackle a global food crisis which has been exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as the latter is one of the world’s leading grain exporters. In November, last year, the pact was extended after Moscow agreed to a 120-day extension and earlier this year agreed to a 60-day extension, which was to end on May 18.

(With inputs from agencies)

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