JABAR EKSPRES – US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield slammed Russia’s decision to suspend its participation in the Black Sea grain deal, calling it a “cruel act”.
“Russia has dealt another blow to the world’s most vulnerable,” Thomas-Greenfield told reporters on Monday (7/17).
According to him, the grain deal brokered by the UN and Turkey provides a glimmer of hope for the world food crisis.
“This agreement has brought stability to the global food market, and lowered food prices for all. But today, Russia has thrown away all this progress and all this hope is in vain,” he said.
Russia refused to renew the deal after July 17, 2023 because it felt its interests had not been met.
“Unfortunately, so far the part relating to Russia in this Black Sea agreement has not been implemented,” said Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
By agreeing to the extension, Russia hopes to remove barriers to its fertilizer exports, including the inclusion of the Russian Agricultural Bank in the SWIFT international payment system.
The Black Sea grain deal was signed in July 2022 in Istanbul by Ukraine, Russia, the UN and Turkey to resume grain exports from Ukrainian ports.
Export activity from several Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea was halted due to the Russia-Ukraine war that began in February 2022.
The deal has since been renewed several times and extended for another two months on May 18, 2023.
The deal ensures more than 32 million metric tons of food commodities are safely shipped from Ukrainian ports, according to the UN.
“More than 345 million people suffer from high levels of food insecurity,” Thomas-Greenfield said, citing World Food Program data.
“And we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Russia’s brutal war on Ukraine has pushed millions to the brink, especially in the Middle East and Africa,” she said, adding.
