The Russian side reminds the United Nations that there are still three months left to fulfill the memorandum of understanding for overseas transportation | Russia | United Nations
According to Russian Sputnik News Agency, on July 19, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zaharova said that the United Nations still had three months to implement the memorandum signed with Russia on the export of Russian grain and fertilizer.
Zakharova said on a radio program, "In order to achieve concrete results, the United Nations still has three months to implement the memorandum of understanding signed with the Russian Federation regarding the export of Russian food and fertilizers."
She also added that if the implementation of the memorandum "achieves concrete results", Moscow will return to the talks on the food agreement.
The report states that the effectiveness of the Black Sea Food Agreement was suspended on July 18th. On July 17, Russia notified Türkiye, Ukraine and the United Nations of their opposition to the extension of the agreement. Russian President's press secretary Peskov stated that as long as the Russian part of the agreement is fulfilled, the Russian side will immediately resume the implementation of the agreement.
On July 22, 2022, representatives of Russia, Türkiye, Ukraine and the United Nations signed the Black Sea Food Initiative in Istanbul, stipulating that Ukraine's grain, food and fertilizer can be exported from three ports including Odessa via the Black Sea. Russia and the United Nations signed a three-year memorandum of understanding on the normalization of Russian food and fertilizer exports on the same day. The two documents are a package agreement. But Moscow has repeatedly stated that the agreement on the normalization of Russian food and fertilizer exports has not been fulfilled so far.
Putin's latest statement
On the 19th local time, Russian President Putin stated in a meeting with government members that the West not only obstructs the implementation of the agreement on the export of agricultural products from Black Sea ports, but also obstructs Russia from providing free food and fertilizers to the poorest countries. Russia does not oppose the agreement on the export of agricultural products from Black Sea ports. Only when the parts of the agreement involving Russia are truly and without exception implemented, will Russia return to the agreement.
Through the mediation of the United Nations and Türkiye, on July 22, 2022, Russia and Türkiye signed agreements with the United Nations and Turkey respectively on the resumption of the export of agricultural products from Black Sea ports. However, the Russian side has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the implementation of the Russian part of the agreement, believing that Russian agricultural products and fertilizer exports are still hindered by Western sanctions, specifically involving settlement, transportation, insurance, and other aspects. The initial validity period of the agreement for the export of agricultural products from the Black Sea Port is 120 days, with three subsequent extensions. On the 17th of this month, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement regarding the agreement on the export of agricultural products from Black Sea ports, stating that the agreement will be suspended on the 18th.