MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th March, 2023) The decision taken in Moscow to extend the grain deal for 60 days turned out to be a kind of "cold shower" for the United States and the European Union, their reaction to Russia's position is unprofessional, hypocritical and distorts the real state of affairs, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.
"We understand that the decision taken in Moscow turned out to be a kind of 'cold shower' for the Americans and the EU. We also understand that there was no doubt in Western capitals that everything would continue according to a scenario that was beneficial to them, in which Russian agricultural exports were actually blocked, and the exports of grain from Ukraine continued unhindered and on the rise, bringing considerable profit to the regime in Kiev, including to pay for the deliveries of Western weapons and ammunition flowing to Ukraine," the statement says.
According to Zakharova, the first comments, including from Washington and the EU's delegation in Moscow, in connection with the announcement of the Russian position on the extension of the Black Sea Initiative for the export of Ukrainian food "are striking in hypocrisy, unprofessionalism, and a complete distortion of real facts."
She added that "no less hypocritical are the assertions again voiced by Washington that Russian agricultural exports are not subject to unilateral sanctions by the United States and its satellites."
"In reality, the situation is exactly the opposite," Zakharova stressed.
She noted that "just as there has been no progress on reconnecting Rosselkhozbank to SWIFT, resuming supplies of agricultural machinery and spare parts to Russia, lifting restrictions on insurance and access to ports for Russian ships and cargo, as well as unblocking accounts and financial activities domestic fertilizer companies."
