The interlocutors discussed the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which expires on July 17, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

During the talks, the parties “exchanged views on the implementation of the Istanbul package agreements of July 22nd, 2022, in the context of global food security tasks. (…) It was highlighted that the need to implement the Russia-UN memorandum on the normalization of national agricultural exports has not been fulfilled”.

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday in an interview to the Rossiya 24 television channel that Russia is studying the possibility of temporarily suspending its participation in the grain deal, and returning to the agreement once the promised conditions have been met.

Russia, Türkiye and the United Nations signed an agreement on July 22nd, 2022, to unblock Ukraine’s export of grain and fertilizers amid hostilities, while the Ukrainian government signed a similar document with Ankara and UN representatives.

In addition, Moscow signed a memorandum with the United Nations to facilitate the export of Russian fertilizers and agricultural products to international markets.

Since then the agreement has been extended three times, the last time on May 17th, and then, after that for another two months.

Russia insists on the fulfillment of several conditions for a further extension, which are: reconnect the Rosselkhozbank agricultural bank to the SWIFT system; resume shipments of agricultural machinery, parts and maintenance; lift the ban on port access; reactivate the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline; and unfreezing the foreign assets and accounts of Russian companies related to the production and transportation of food and fertilizers.

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