EU condemns Russia's 'cynical' refusal to renew Black Sea grain deal
Russia has exited the agreement allowing Ukraine to export grain from its Black Sea ports for the past year, saying promises to free up its own shipments of food and fertilisers have not been kept. The European Union described the move as "cyncial".
Issued on:
Russia's Foreign Ministry said it had notified Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations that "without Russia's participation, the 'Black Sea Initiative' ceases to function from July 18".
This meant the withdrawal of safety guarantees for shipping, the ending of a maritime humanitarian corridor and the disbanding of the Joint Coordination Centre at the mouth of the Black Sea in Istanbul established to monitor the implementation of the deal, it said.
It also meant the northwestern Black Sea would again be designated an area of temporary danger for shipping, the ministry said via state news agency TASS.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen condemned Russia's exit from the Ukraine grain export deal and branded the move "cynical".
"I strongly condemn Russia's cynical move to terminate the Black Sea Grain Initiative," she tweeted.
The deal, brokered by the UN and Turkey last July, aimed to alleviate a global food crisis by allowing Ukrainian grain blocked by the Russia-Ukraine war to be exported safely.
To convince Russia to agree to it, a three-year memorandum of understanding was also struck with the UN under which its officials agreed to help Russia with its food and fertiliser exports.
But the ministry statement said none of Russia's requirements – including the resumption of ammonia exports through a pipeline leading from Russia to the Ukrainian port of Odesa, and the reconnection of its state agricultural bank Rosselkhozbank to the SWIFT international payments system – had been met.
"Under these conditions of outright sabotage in the implementation of the Istanbul agreements, the continuation of the 'Black Sea initiative', which did not justify its humanitarian purpose, becomes meaningless," it said.
Extensions
The deal had been extended several times, but was due to expire on Monday. Russia had been saying for months that conditions for its extension had not been fulfilled, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was the first to confirm that Russia was not renewing it.
But he signalled Russia was not necessarily quitting the deal for ever.
"As soon as the Russian part of the agreements is fulfilled, the Russian side will return to the implementation of this deal immediately," Peskov said.
The foreign ministry said: "Only upon receipt of concrete results, and not promises and assurances, will Russia be ready to consider restoring the deal."
The announcement was made just hours after drones struck Russia's only bridge connecting its mainland to the annexed Crimea peninsula. Two people were killed.
Moscow said the Kerch bridge attack had nothing to do with its withdrawal.
"These are absolutely unrelated events," Peskov said.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that his country is prepared to continue grain exports despite Russia's decision.
"Even without the Russian Federation, everything must be done so that we can use this Black Sea corridor. We are not afraid. We have been approached by companies that own ships. They said that they are ready" to continue shipments, Zelensky said in comments distributed on social media by his spokesman Sergiy Nykyforov.
(with wires)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning
Subscribe