Switzerland 'regrets' Russian withdrawal from grain deal, hails Türkiye's ‘tireless efforts’

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - Switzerland on Tuesday regretted Russia's decision to pull out of the Black Sea grain deal despite Türkiye's mediation efforts.

"Switzerland regrets Russia's decision regarding the Black Sea Grain Initiative and hopes for a renewal in the near future to ensure global food security," the Foreign Ministry said on Twitter.

"We welcome and support the tireless efforts of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Türkiye in this regard," the ministry added.

On Monday, the Kremlin announced that it has suspended the deal saying that the Russian part of the agreement was not implemented.

The agreement, initially signed in July of last year in Istanbul by Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine, was aimed at resuming grain exports from Ukrainian ports. These exports had been halted as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian war which began in February 2022.

A Joint Coordination Center was set up in Istanbul last year with officials from the three countries and the UN to oversee the shipments.

The deal has been renewed several times since then, and it was extended for another two months on May 18.