Russia withdraws shipping safety guarantees within grain agreement

Russia has announced the withdrawal of shipping safety guarantees within the framework of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation announced this on Monday.

The statement of the aggressor countries noted that without their participation, the agreement would cease to operate on July 18.

Thus, Russia is curtailing the maritime humanitarian corridor and restoring the regime of a temporarily dangerous area in the northwestern Black Sea.

The Russian Federation is also withdrawing from the Joint Coordinating Center in Istanbul due to the termination of the grain agreement.

On July 17, Russia sent Turkey, Ukraine and the UN its objections to the extension of the “grain agreement”.

The Russian side explained its decision pointing out that the export of Ukrainian food was almost immediately transferred to a purely commercial basis.

The aggressor country stated that Ukrainian food is allegedly exported not to countries in need, but to states with high and upper middle incomes, including the EU. At the same time, Russia allows the resumption of the grain corridor if Western sanctions are lifted on Russian agricultural products and fertilizers.

“Only upon receipt of concrete results, and not promises and assurances, Russia will be ready to consider the renewal of the agreement,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on its website.

The Kremlin started talking about stopping the “grain agreement” as early as Monday morning. The speaker of the Russian dictator, Dmitry Peskov, called the alleged failure to comply with part of the agreement concerning the Russian Federation the reason for breaking the agreement.

Black Sea Grain Initiative

On July 22, 2022, in Istanbul, Ukraine, Turkey and the UN signed the Initiative for the Safe Transportation of Grain and Foodstuffs by Sea from Ukraine. This agreement dealt with the safe operation of Ukrainian Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi ports in the Black Sea. On August 1, as part of the implementation of the agreements, the first ship, RAZONI, sailing under the flag of Sierra Leone, departed from the port of Odesa. It was loaded with corn.

The UN and many countries have said that the blockade of food exports, which the Russian occupiers began after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, could lead to global consequences and famine in the poorest countries. Russia also repeatedly threatened to terminate the grain agreement and delayed the movement of ships in every possible way.