Ukraine: The Ukrainian President Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the UN Secretary General Mr. Antonio Guterres have called for the extension of a vital deal allowing Russian and Ukrainian wheat and fertilisers to be exported through the Black Sea, amidst reports that Moscow does not intend to renew its participation.

The UN-backed deal was signed by Ukraine and Russia for an initial 120 days in July 2022, allowing the export of millions of tonnes of grain from blockaded Black Sea ports, an agreement that was meant to tackle the threat of a global food crisis.

A subsequent extension in November to the Black Sea grain initiative for a further four months will expire on March 18, 2023, unless it is extended.

The Ukrainian President and UN chief announced that they backed the renewal of the deal, but Russia has already signalled it is unhappy with aspects of the agreement, leading to warnings from grain traders of potential risks to supplies and a rise in global grain prices.

Mr. Guterres remarked that initiative had enabled the export of 23 million tonnes of grain from Ukrainian ports to date.

“It contributed to lowering the global cost of food and has offered critical relief to people, who are also paying a high price for this war, particularly in the developing world,” the UN Secretary General observed.

“I want to underscore the critical importance of rolling over the Black Sea Grain Initiative on March 18 and working to create the conditions to enable the greatest possible use of export infrastructure through the Black Sea in line with the objectives of the initiative,” Mr. Guterres further shared.

Russia, which lifted a blockade of three Ukrainian Black Sea ports under the deal, has signalled that obstacles to its own agricultural exports need to be removed before it lets the agreement continue.

The 120-day deal, initially brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last July and extended in November, will be renewed on March 18 if no party objects.

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