Moscow urges West to facilitate Russian grain export

Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | Moscow on Thursday asked Western countries to contribute to the full implementation of the Istanbul grain deal, which includes the export of Russian food and fertilizers.

The package of agreements not only allows grain export from three Ukrainian ports but also stipulates the promotion of Russian food and fertilizers on global markets, which is not implemented, said Ivan Nechaev, deputy director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

“We expect that all provisions of the food agreements will be implemented in full and Western countries will create the necessary conditions for access of Russian fertilizers and food to global markets,” Nechaev told a briefing.

On July 22, Russia and Ukraine separately signed a document in Istanbul with Türkiye and the United Nations on grain and fertilizer exports from Ukraine and Russia. The shipment of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports started on Aug. 1.

“Unfortunately, not a single vessel with (Ukrainian) grain has yet reached the shores of starving countries in Africa or South Asia. They went mainly to Western ports,” Nechaev told reporters.

The diplomat said the cargoes consist mainly of corn and sunflower oil, rather than wheat, which calls into question the sincerity of Western statements that global food security depends on the Istanbul deal.