Russia warns the West: the Black Sea grain deal is at risk of collapse

“If everything remains as it is, and it is clear that it will remain so, then it will be necessary to proceed from the fact that the agreement is no longer working,” said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

The agreement, which was concluded in July last year, requires the United Nations to help Russia remove any obstacles to its exports of grain and fertilizers for a period of three years.

Lavrov added that the agreement was “absolutely” not achieved.

The agreement between the United Nations and Russia was reached, at the same time as an agreement allowing for the safe export of foodstuffs and fertilizers from Ukraine across the Black Sea after the outbreak of war in February 2022.

Moscow agreed this month to extend the grain deal through Black Sea ports for another two months, until July 17, but said more progress must be made to advance its own interests.

Lavrov said that less than 3 percent of the grain exported under the Black Sea export agreement reached the world’s poorest countries.