(Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday accused Russia of deliberately delaying the passage of ships carrying grain exports under a UN brokered deal, and said 150 ships were waiting to be loaded.
Kiev has exported nearly 11 million tonnes of grain and other foodstuffs since July, when the United Nations signed the deal with Russia, Ukraine and Turkey.
In a video speech, Zelenskiy said the delay meant Ukraine’s grain exports fell short by 3 million tonnes – which he said was enough to feed 10 million people.
The deal ends in November, but negotiations on an extension have not progressed much because Russian concerns are not being taken into account, Russia’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva said on Thursday.
Zelenskiy said in Friday’s video that “the enemy is doing everything to slow down our food exports… as of today, more than 150 ships are in line to fulfill contractual obligations in the delivery of our agricultural products.”
“This is an artificial queue. It only came about because Russia is deliberately delaying the passage of ships,” he added, but did not elaborate.
The Russian foreign and defense ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Earlier in the day, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying he saw no obstacles to extending the deal.
Moscow says Western sanctions are hurting its own grain and fertilizer exports, even to poor countries that need the supplies.
(By David Ljunggren)
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