Headline: Vladimir Putin Pressures The World By Declining To Cooperate About Grain Deal Unless West Meets Its Obligation
Subheading: Erdogan hoped for a solution soon.
Summary: Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that a landmark agreement that allowed Ukraine to export grain safely through the Black Sea during the conflict will not be reinstated until the West satisfies Moscow's demands.
Vladimir Putin reaffirmed his position that a United Nations-brokered agreement for the safe transport of Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea could not be reinstated until the West satisfies Moscow's demands regarding its agricultural exports.
The Russian president's remarks on Monday followed a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Black Sea city of Sochi, with the aim of reviving an agreement deemed crucial for global food supplies, particularly in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
Black Sea Grain Deal
In July, Russia refused to extend the agreement, claiming that a concurrent accord to remove obstacles to Russian food and fertilizer exports had not been honored. It stated that shipping and insurance restrictions hampered its agricultural trade despite the fact that it has shipped record quantities of wheat since last year.
Putin echoed these criticisms and stated that the Black Sea corridors should not be utilized for military purposes. He told reporters that if these commitments were honored, Russia could return to the agreement "within days."
Erdogan also indicated optimism that a resolution is imminent. According to him, Turkey and the United Nations, which both mediated the original agreement, have developed a new set of proposals to resolve the impasse.
The United States and European Union have dismissed Moscow's complaints as baseless, stating that their sanctions do not target Russian grain and fertilizers.
Erdogan stated that everyone was aware of Russia's expectations and that the deficiencies should be addressed, adding that Turkey and the United Nations had collaborated on a new set of recommendations to alleviate Russian concerns.
According to Reuters, Erdogan said Ukraine should modify its negotiating position against Russia in talks over reviving the agreement and export more grain to Africa rather than Europe.
Later on Ukrainian television, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated that Kyiv would not change its position but would take heed of Turkey's account of the Sochi discussions.
Standing alongside Erdogan, Putin reaffirmed Russia's position that it could return to the agreement if the West stopped restricting agricultural exports to global markets. A distinct memorandum with the United Nations stipulates Russian grain and fertilizer export conditions.
Putin Urges West To Lift Sanctions
Per The Washington Times, Putin stated that removing Western obstacles to exporting Russian food and fertilizer is a prerequisite for Russia's participation in the agreement.
These goods are not directly subject to Western economic sanctions against Russia, but the Kremlin argues that other US and European actions, such as suspending Moscow's participation in the SWIFT international banking system and imposing restrictions on shipping and insurance, have severely constrained Russia's agricultural trade.
Putin stated that if such restrictions were lifted, Russia could revert to the agreement "within days."
Meanwhile, Erdogan stated that grain exports are particularly vital for Africa and other developing regions. Indeed, about 57% of Ukrainian grain exports allowed under the agreement went to developing nations, including African nations, according to The Associated Press.
According to Western and Ukrainian officials, Russia has taken additional actions detrimental to global food security. Sunday, Ukrainian officials accused Moscow of attempting to "provoke a food crisis" after Russian military strikes targeted a crucial port in the Odessa region of Ukraine, a major export center for food.
According to reports, Russia launched at least 25 Iranian-made "loitering" drones from the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Reni. According to Ukrainian authorities, 22 of these drones were brought down.
The Kremlin justified the attack as a legitimate military action, claiming that the drones were sent to destroy Ukrainian "fuel storage facilities."
