Zakharova on grain-deal exit Return requires results

Jul 17, 2023

In Radio KP's edited telephone excerpt, Maria Zakharova says the grain deal did not work and had changed from a humanitarian arrangement into a commercial one serving wealthy Western countries and companies. She claims the poorest countries received only 3%. She says Russia has submitted documents categorically opposing any further extension. She calls on Western capitals to fulfill their obligations and actually exempt Russian fertilizers and food from sanctions. Citing the Russian president, she says only concrete results, rather than guarantees, promises or assurances, would make Russia ready to consider restoring the deal. Her distribution and sanctions assertions remain attributed, and no restoration is announced.

Russia announces it will not continue the Black Sea grain agreement, citing unmet conditions on its food and fertiliser exports and denying a link to the Kerch Bridge attack. The agreement expires at midnight July 17. TSN reports UN, EU, US, Ukrainian and British objections and food-security concerns, with Guterres pledging continued efforts and Borrell supporting EU Solidarity Lanes. Ukraine proposes continuing the maritime route with Turkey and the UN, but no alternative agreement is established in this report. The bulletin describes trade effects and a reported wheat-price rise. In his complete same-day New York statement (show 514), António Guterres says Russia's decision also withdraws navigation security guarantees in the northwestern Black Sea and its commitment to facilitate food, sunflower-oil and fertilizer exports from Ukrainian-controlled Black Sea ports. He describes the initiative's humanitarian role and warns of food-price and hunger consequences. His account and forecasts remain attributed, and do not establish that every Ukrainian export route stopped. Borrell's full Brussels doorstep (show 518) condemns the withdrawal, pledges continued EU Solidarity Lanes and rejects the sanctions explanation as an excuse. Kuleba's same-day CBS exchange (show 520) says inland routes cannot fully compensate for the ports, alleges hunger blackmail and commercial motives, and forecasts higher prices and harm in vulnerable parts of Asia and Africa. His cited 20-percent price fall and forecasts remain his account, not an independently verified result or reopening commitment. In her July 17 statement, Maria Zakharova says Russia has sent documents categorically opposing further extension. She says the arrangement failed and became commercial, portrays rich Western countries and companies as its beneficiaries and cites just three percent for the poorest countries. She conditions Russian readiness to consider restoring it on concrete results and actual exemption of Russian food and fertilizers from sanctions, rejecting promises and guarantees. These are Russia's attributed rationale and conditional position, not evidence that export obstacles were resolved or the deal restored.