MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th September, 2022) Russia is interested in the implementation of the grain deal allowing its food exports to be shipped to the poorest countries that need them, however this requires further efforts on the part of the United Nations and guarantor countries, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.
"Of course, everyone has an interest in it (the deal) working, but working towards its original goal, so that the grain reaches the poorest countries. Therefore, further joint efforts are necessary on the part of the UN and of the deal's guarantors, directed at ensuring that the recipients are mostly the poorest countries," Peskov told the press when asked about Russia's position on the grain deal.
Two agreements were signed on July 22 in Istanbul, facilitating the resumption of exports of foodstuffs and fertilizers from Ukraine and Russia respectively, which had been disrupted by Russia's military operation in Ukraine and retaliatory sanctions. The deal was an urgent request of African countries in particular, which had been badly hit by price increases on world grain markets, and was brokered by the UN.
Since then, Russia has complained that the spirit of the agreements have been broken. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that most of the ships carrying Ukrainian grain did not make it to the world's poorest countries. However, sanctions on transporting and insuring Russian cargo mean that shipping companies continued to be deterred from carrying Russian grain, Russian diplomats have argued.
