'No deal can stand on one leg...': Kremlin warns prospects for grain deal not so great

New Delhi: Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday warned that the outlook for extending a deal beyond 18 May that allows the safe wartime export of grain and fertilizer from several Ukrainian Black Sea ports was not great because Russia’s own such exports still face obstacles. “We know UN representatives are making some efforts [to maintain the agreement], but the second half of the deal is still not working, and its conditions are not being implemented,” Russia Today quoted Peskov as saying. “No deal can stand on one leg – it needs two legs to stand on. In this sense, judging by how things are today, the prospects are not so good,” he added. The Black Sea Grain Initiative was made in July with the aim of allowing grain ships to leave Ukraine’s Black Sea ports after they became stuck there due to the Ukraine conflict. The accord was also meant to “facilitate unrestricted access” to grain and fertilizer exports from Russia. Moscow has since insisted that while the export of wheat, corn and other agricultural products from Ukraine continues, Russian companies are still struggling with hurdles put in place by sanctions. US and EU sanctions do not contain an outright ban on Russia’s fertilizer exports to third countries. However, they created problems in terms of logistics, payments for transactions, and shipping insurance. Russia puts conditions on deal extension Western powers have imposed tough sanctions on Russia over its 24 February 2022, invasion of Ukraine. Its food and fertilizer exports are not sanctioned, but Moscow says restrictions on payments, logistics and insurance are a barrier to shipments. Last month, Russia agreed to renew the Ukraine Black Sea grain export deal for at least 60 days, half the intended period. Moscow said it would only consider a further extension if several demands in relation to its own exports were met. Those include allowing the Russian Agricultural Bank to return to the SWIFT payment system, allowing Russia to import agricultural machinery, the removal of insurance restrictions, port access for Russian ships and cargo, and an unblocking of the financial activities of Russian fertilizer companies. Moscow also wants a pipeline that delivers Russian ammonia to a Ukrainian Black Sea port to be restarted. The United States has pushed back on Moscow’s demands, saying “the only prohibitions on food and fertilizer exports from Russia are those imposed by the government” of Russia. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.