Russia ends agreement to export grain from Ukrainian ports

The Russian authorities announced this on Monday terminates the grain export agreement first reached in July 2022 in full Russian invasion of Ukraine after denouncing violations by Kiev.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zayarova has indicated that “the Ukrainian and Turkish parties have been informed of the completion, as well as the United Nations”, to whom she handed over the assignment. “objections” of Moscow in this regard following the refusal to renew the agreement.

For example, he has indicated that the authorities intend to provide more details on this in the near future, according to the Interfax news agency. The grain export agreement was reached a year ago in the Turkish city Istanbul with the cooperation of the Turkish authorities and the United Nations.

Last weekend, the Russian President Vladimir Putininsisted he failed to see the terms being met to renew the agreement, which expired this Monday.

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The Secretary General of the Spanish Grain and Oilseed Trade Association (Accoe), Jose Manuel Alvarezhas indicated that the suspension of the agreement, which would mean “losing the Ukrainian grain again”, could be a “rather hard blow” to Spain.

On the other hand, the responsible for the herbaceous sector of the Coordinator of Farmers and Ranchers Organizations (COAG), jose roaleshas pointed out that the announcement leaves a “worrying” and “dangerous” scenario as it could create a “shortage” of grain on the market.

At the international level, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has denounced Russia’s “cynicism” after hearing the news. In that sense, he argued the EU will guarantee agricultural exports from Ukraine through corridorswith which Europe reduces bureaucracy and controls on Ukrainian exports.

the president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, says he believes his Russian counterpart wants to “keep the agreement in force”, and has indicated that he will speak with him to discuss the matter. “We will take steps with an appeal to Putin, without waiting for August,” he said.

For his part, the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has assured that they have never agreed on an agreement with Russia for the export of grain and that the corridor opened by the Black Sea can be used despite Moscow’s departure. For example, he emphasizes that when Russia announces that it is ending the agreement, that is what it is doing “severe” the agreements with Türkiye and the UN..