By Elena Teslova and Ceyhun Alizade
MOSCOW/ANKARA (AA) - Russia on Thursday called on the EU to publicize records to prove grain was delivered from Ukraine to poorer nations.
Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova cited UN figures showing that 44% of the Ukrainian grain goes to Europe.
Contrary to the initial reassurances of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the need to feed the poorer nations of Africa and Asia, the main recipients of the shipments are "such states that call themselves developed and are proud of their well-being, such as Spain, the Netherlands, South Korea, Italy, Romania, Germany, France, Greece, Ireland, and Israel," she said.
Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul on July 22 to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which were paused after the Russia-Ukraine war began in February.
Although not part of the formal agreement, it was negotiated that if things go smoothly, sanctions on Russian exports through the Black Sea will eventually be lifted.
Russia has been pushing for the expansion of the scope of the deal to include Russian goods.
On Wednesday, Guterres said he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the phone on increasing the deal's scope, including having it cover Russian fertilizer exports via the Black Sea.
- Security Council status
Asked about possible attempts to create a mechanism designed to deprive Russia of the status of a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Zakharova said it is an "unrealistic scenario."
"To deprive Russia of the status of a permanent member of the UN Security Council, it is necessary to make appropriate changes to the UN Charter.
"To do this, it is necessary that two-thirds of the UN General Assembly members vote for them, then these amendments must be ratified by two-thirds of the member states, including all permanent members of the UN Security Council, one of which is our country.
"Therefore, everything is clear here -- there is simply no other legal way to implement this plan," she said.
- UN chief, Russian foreign minister to meet
Zakharova said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will address a meeting of the UN General Assembly and plans to hold about 20 bilateral meetings, including with the UN secretary-general.
In general, the Russian delegation at the General Assembly intends to pay special attention to the fight against attempts to undermine the UN authority and subordinate it to the whims of the "collective West," she said.
"They are simply engaged in denigrating states that pursue an independent foreign policy, as well as trying to exclude or limit their participation in the structures of the UN system," she said.
The Russian official stressed Western countries cut the participation of other countries in UN activities through visa restrictions.
Asked about the ammonia pipeline through which the fertilizers were delivered to Europe, Zakharova said it was closed by Ukraine and if Kyiv reopens the pipeline, Moscow will welcome the move.
- 'Red line' on Ukraine
Zakharova warned that possible deliveries of longer-range missiles to Kyiv by Washington will mean crossing the red line, with the US becoming a direct party to the conflict.
"If Washington decides to supply Kyiv with longer-range missiles, it will cross the red line and become a direct party to the conflict. In such a scenario, we will have to respond adequately," she said.
"US officials make frank admissions that the US military has been preparing the recent 'counteroffensive' of Ukraine for several months. Then I have a question: Is it still the Armed Forces of Ukraine or the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the West?" she said.
Zakharova claimed that the financial aid for Ukraine provided by the US and NATO is a part of a “major money laundering corruption scheme.”
Zakharova also touched upon the meeting of Ukrainian authorities at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Sept. 8, adding that an additional $675 million in security assistance for Ukraine was allocated by the US administration.
This authorization was the US administration’s 20th drawdown of equipment since August 2021.