Medvedev threatens G7 to end grain deal

(Reuters) – Russia’s former president and prime minister Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday threatened to end a deal on grain exports from Black Sea ports if the G7 decided to heavily restrict its exports to Russia.

Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported this week, citing Japanese government sources, that the G7 countries are considering an almost complete ban on exports to Russia.

Moscow has repeatedly threatened to pull out of a grain deal signed under the auspices of the United Nations and Turkey in July 2022, five months after the start of the war in Ukraine, and which is due to expire on May 18. The Russian government is calling on Western countries to lift restrictions on fertilizer sales.

Dmitry said, “This idea of ​​G7 idiots about a total ban on exports to our country is brilliant by default because it imposes a reciprocal ban on imports from our country, including the most sensitive goods for the G7. ” Medvedev, who now holds the post of Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, on Telegram.

“In such a scenario,” he said, “the grain deal—and many other things they need—will be over for them.”

G7 agriculture ministers (the United States, Japan, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy) called in a press release on Sunday for the renewal and full implementation of the agreement, which secures Ukrainian grain exports from several Black Sea ports. does.

(Jacques Cordell reports, French edition Jean-Stéphane Brosse)