Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Monday that Moscow will only rejoin a crucial grain export deal if the West removes banking and other restrictions that are negatively impacting the Russian economy. The statement came after a highly anticipated meeting between Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the coastal town of Sochi. The grain export deal was established last year, allowing for the export of grain and other food supplies from Ukrainian ports amid the Russia-Ukraine war. However, Russia withdrew from the agreement in July and accused the West of not fulfilling its obligations. Ukraine and Russia are two of the world’s largest agricultural exporters, and the loss of Ukrainian grain due to the ongoing war has led to increased staple prices and hardship in developing nations.
Putin expressed his willingness to revive the pact, but he accused Ukraine of using the grain export corridors along the Black Sea coast to carry out terrorist attacks against Russian forces. He also stated that Russia’s participation in the agreement depends on the Western countries removing barriers to the export of Russian food and fertilizer. While these goods are not directly affected by Western economic sanctions on Russia, the Kremlin argues that other measures such as suspending Moscow’s participation in the SWIFT international banking system and imposing shipping and insurance restrictions have severely limited its agricultural trade.
If these restrictions are lifted, Putin stated that Russia could return to the deal “within the nearest days.”
Meanwhile, Erdogan acknowledged the significance of the meeting between him and Putin, stating that the outcome of their discussions would have implications not only for Turkey and Russia but also for the whole world, especially African countries. Approximately 57% of the Ukrainian grain exports allowed under the agreement went to developing nations, including African countries.
In addition to withdrawing from the grain export deal, Russia has taken other actions that Western and Ukrainian officials claim are negatively impacting global food security. Ukrainian officials accused Moscow of trying to provoke a food crisis after Russian military strikes on a key port in Ukraine’s Odesa region, which is a central hub for food exports. The attacks involved the launch of Iranian-made drones from Russia, with Ukrainian officials asserting that this is part of a broader Russian effort to cause a food crisis and hunger worldwide. The United States has condemned these actions and highlighted the danger they pose to the international food supply.
This article is based in part on wire service reports.
