Kyiv (agencies)
The Ukrainian Ministry of Reconstruction announced yesterday that Russia has effectively terminated the agreement to export grain through Ukrainian ports overlooking the Black Sea by refusing to register the incoming ships.
Russia has besieged Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea since the start of the Ukrainian crisis, but access to 3 of them became possible last July under an agreement between Moscow and Kiev mediated by the United Nations and Turkey.
“The Russian Federation has once again effectively suspended work on the Grain Initiative by refusing to register and conduct inspections on incoming ships. This approach contradicts the provisions of the current agreement,” the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry stated that 90 ships, including 62 ships for loading grain, are waiting in Turkish territorial waters until they are approved to go to Ukrainian ports.
The current agreement expires on May 18. Moscow has threatened to withdraw from the agreement, which aims to help alleviate a global food crisis, while Turkey and the United Nations are working to extend it.
The United Nations announced last week that the parties to the Ukrainian grain export initiative had failed to reach an agreement allowing any new ships to transport exports through the Black Sea.
Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for the United Nations, said that Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the international organization had failed to reach an agreement to allow any new ships to transport Ukrainian grain exports across the Black Sea, noting that daily inspections of previously authorized ships would continue.
The Kremlin has repeatedly warned that the deal falls apart unless the West eases obstacles to Russian grain and fertilizer exports, including export financing and insurance.
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