MOSCOW, May 19. Kiev may consider the possibility of transiting ammonia through Ukraine if the «grain deal» extends to more goods and ports, Reuters reported, citing a source in government of Ukraine.
“We say the following: if it (the deal) includes an ammonia pipeline, then Ukraine should receive some additional things that will serve our national interests… This is an expansion of the geography of the agreement and the list of goods (for export along the corridor) Then it could serve the interests of our country,» the agency quoted a source in the Cabinet as saying.
What kind of goods Kyiv wants to add, the source did not specify.
On Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that the grain deal has been extended until July 17 inclusive, without any changes, if all problematic issues on the grain deal are not resolved within two months, the agreement will be terminated after July 17 .
The Black Sea Grain Initiative, which was signed on July 22, 2022 by representatives of Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the UN, involves the export of Ukrainian grain, food and fertilizer across the Black Sea from three ports, including Odessa. The coordination of vessel traffic is handled by the Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul. Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed out in September that the West exports most of the Ukrainian grain to its own states, and not to needy countries in Africa.
The grain initiative is an integral part of the package agreement. The second part, the Russia-UN memorandum, designed for three years, provides for the unblocking of Russian exports of food and fertilizers, the reconnection of the Russian Agricultural Bank to SWIFT, the resumption of supplies of agricultural machinery, spare parts and services, the restoration of the operation of the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline and a number of other measures. As noted in Moscow, this part of the package agreement has not yet been implemented.