Ukraine: No, the United Nations suggests relaxing sanctions against Russia to persuade Russia to extend the food agreement
According to Deutsche Presse-Agentur on September 8, Antonio Guterres, the Secretary General of the United Nations, is communicating with Russia to try to make concessions to resume a food agreement, which is considered critical to solving the problem of global food security and curbing food prices.
According to reports, Moscow stopped participating in the Black Sea Food Agreement in July this year. Despite Russia's maritime blockade of Ukraine, the agreement leaves a corridor in the Black Sea for Ukraine to export millions of tons of grain and fertilizers.
Moscow is not satisfied with the agreement and has expressed its desire to lift export restrictions on Russia's own grain and fertilizer in exchange for further cooperation.
Moscow is still seeking to ease Western sanctions on its payments, logistics, and shipping insurance.
According to the report, in a letter seen by Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Guterres suggested to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that Moscow could establish a branch of the Russian Agricultural Bank to re-establish contact with the International Payment System Global Interbank Financial Communications Association to pay some money.
This letter states that it can make it possible for Russia to export some fertilizers and agricultural products within 30 days.
In this letter on August 28th, the United Nations proposed three suggestions to facilitate Russian exports, including shipping insurance, unfreezing frozen assets of Russian fertilizer companies in Europe, and allowing Russian ships to enter European ports.
As an exchange, we hope that Russia agrees to extend the food agreement, namely the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
According to the United Nations, fertilizers are also crucial in preventing the global hunger crisis. According to reports, fertilizer prices on the global market once reached 250% before the outbreak of the Ukrainian war.
According to Reuters on September 8th, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolanko stated that some have suggested measures such as relaxing sanctions against Russia to restore the United Nations supported Black Sea Grain Transport Agreement, but Ukraine refuses to accept any related suggestions.
The report also stated that Ukrainian President Zelensky said on the 8th that Ukraine's allies have relaxed sanctions against Russia, and he called for a renewed push for further punitive measures against Moscow.
Zelensky said that to maintain pressure on Moscow, the focus should be on Russia's energy, microelectronics, and financial sectors.