Russia officially informs Turkey, Ukraine and the UN of its objections to the extension of the grain deal

Russia today officially notified Turkey and Ukraine, as well as the UN secretariat, of its objections to the extension of the grain deal, Zakharova told RIA Novosti.

A statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry will be published in the near future with detailed explanations of the Russian position on the grain deal, Zakharova added.

A UN source in Istanbul told TASS that the Organization has already received a message from Moscow about the suspension of the grain deal.

TASS also reported, citing Russian Ambassador to Belarus Boris Gryzlov, that the Russian Embassy in Belarus handed over a note to the Ukrainian side on the morning of July 17 outlining Moscow’s position on the grain deal.

“In the note handed over to Kyiv, Moscow denies the extension of the grain deal, and its implementation should be suspended from July 18,” the statement said.

Suspension of Russia’s participation in the grain deal is the right decision, according to Russian agrarian associations, as it will support prices for Russian wheat, said the head of the Russian Grain Union. The Russian Edible Oilseed Union is also optimistic: it expects global prices for sunflower oil to normalize.

Tags: Russia, Black Sea grain deal