Putin named 6 conditions for extending the grain deal

Russia will return to the “grain deal” if its demands are met, President Vladimir Putin announced. He listed 6 conditions necessary to renew the contract.

Between them – withdrawing from the sanctions supplies of Russian grain and fertilizers “to world markets”, connecting banks to SWIFT and lifting “all restrictions” for them.

In addition, Putin demanded the resumption of imports of spare parts for agricultural machinery, the regulation of the issue of freight and insurance for Russian ships, and the restoration of the functioning of the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline. He also believes that the country’s agricultural assets should be unlocked. According to him, these conditions are laid down in a memorandum between Russia and the UN.

Almost all of these restrictions are related to sanctions for the invasion of Ukraine. As for the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline, its work was stopped immediately after the start of the war. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, approximately 2 million tons of raw materials for the production of fertilizers were pumped through it annually. On May 26, Russia announced its readiness to launch the ammonia pipeline “within a few days” and accused Ukraine of “slowing down the process”, followed by an explosion on the main.

“We don’t need any promises or ideas, we need these conditions to be fulfilled, <…> and we will return to this agreement immediately,” Putin promised.

After listing all the requirements, he stated that “Western countries used the Black Sea initiative as a means of political blackmail and a way to enrich multinational companies that exported and resold grain from Ukraine. On the contrary, Russia “showed miracles of endurance and tolerance” by extending the deal, Putin said.

He also complained that Russian farmers had lost $1.2 billion because of the “grain deal”. At the same time, according to official statistics, agricultural exports increased by 12% year-on-year in 2022, reaching USD 41.5 billion.

Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Initiative on July 17, threatened with military risk those countries that decide to renew the agreement without it, and slowed down port infrastructure of Ukraine.

In response, President Volodymyr Zelensky instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to propose to the UN and Turkey to resume work on the “grain corridor” without Moscow’s participation. Then the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced that it would destroy all ships on its way to Ukrainian ports, and also recognize the countries under whose flag they sail as participants in the war on the side of Kiev.