HIROSHIMA (Japan), May 20. The leaders of the G7 country noted the importance of fulfilling the Black Sea «food» deal in the final communiqué of the summit, calling on Russia » allow the agreement to operate at maximum efficiency.»
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the grain deal was extended until July 17 inclusive, without any changes, if all problematic issues on the grain deal are not resolved in two months, the agreement will be terminated after July 17. Restrictions on the export of Russian grain within the framework of the grain deal have not yet been settled, said the head of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation Dmitry Patrushev on the eve. During the talks, Russian officials emphasized that the provisions of the RF-UN memorandum, which is the second part of the grain deal, have not yet been fulfilled. The Russian Foreign Ministry, commenting on the next extension of the deal, said that «distortions» in the implementation of the grain deal should be corrected as soon as possible.
As the G7 countries said in a communiqué, they remain deeply concerned about the deteriorating global food security and nutrition situation, «as the world faces the highest risk famine for the last generation.» The G7, in particular, says that the situation in Ukraine «drastically exacerbated the global food security crisis.»
«We call on Russia to lift the measures that impede the export of Russian grain and fertilizers,» the final communiqué of the meeting in Hiroshima says.
The G7 stressed «the critical importance of continuing and expanding the implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, mediated by the UN and Turkey, to further facilitate grain exports from Ukraine and ensure stable supplies to those in need.
Group countries called on the Russian Federation to «allow the 'product deal'» work to the maximum potential and for as long as necessary,» the communiqué says.
“We call on all participants in the Black Sea Grain Initiative to continue and fully implement its sustainable implementation to the maximum of its capabilities for as long as it takes,” the document says.
It also notes the need to “let grain continue to reach those who needs the most.»
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 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.