UN unable to exert necessary influence on West to fulfill obligations under grain deal: Kremlin

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Kremlin on Wednesday said that the UN is unable to exert necessary influence on the West in order to fulfill their obligations under the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

“We heard the statement of the UN representatives, who are forced to admit that, unfortunately, they are unable to exert the necessary influence on the countries of the collective West in order to fulfill this Russian part of the deal,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a press briefing.

He further said that there are “no prerequisites” for the extension of the grain deal because the agreements have not been fulfilled.

“Therefore, for now, unfortunately, things are still there,” Peskov.

Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed the agreement in Istanbul last July to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which were halted after the Ukraine war in February last year.

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

Moscow has linked the inclusion of its state-owned Russian Agricultural Bank in the SWIFT international payment system to further extend the agreement.

It has also complained that the deal fails to deliver on a promise to free up Russian agricultural exports said to have been blocked due to Western sanctions.

Peskov also touched on talks between Russia and Brazil on a possible settlement in Ukraine. "Indeed, there are (contacts). Dialogue is being maintained with the Brazilian side. But unfortunately, there are no specific developments or prerequisites for the successful implementation of such plans."

Earlier on Wednesday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told Italian daily Il Corriere della Sera that he sent a special envoy to Moscow and Kyiv for discussions, adding that it is urgent that Russia and Ukraine find a “common path” toward peace.