Russia is ready to rejoin the Black Sea grain deal as soon as its conditions for exporting its grain and fertilizers globally are met, according to Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Russia withdrew from the deal in July, citing obstacles to its own food and fertilizer exports and insufficient Ukrainian grain distribution to countries in need.
Lavrov stated, ‘When all the necessary measures to remove barriers to our grain and fertilizer exports are taken, we will immediately resume our participation in the Black Sea initiative.’ He made this announcement during a press briefing following his attendance at a two-day G20 summit in New Delhi.
The G20 declaration issued on Saturday called for the ‘full, timely, and effective implementation’ to ensure unobstructed deliveries of grain, foodstuffs, and fertilizers from Russia and Ukraine to meet the demands of developing nations. These supplies had been disrupted following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow described as a ‘special military operation.’ The United Nations, Turkey, and Japan, as this year’s G7 chair, have been working to facilitate the resumption of grain supplies.
Ukraine remains opposed to the idea of easing sanctions on Russia to revive the grain deal. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan expressed optimism about the deal’s revival, and discussions between Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey continue.
In a recent letter, the UN informed Russia that a unit of the Russian Agricultural Bank in Luxembourg could potentially apply for SWIFT access within 30 days. However, Lavrov dismissed this idea, stating that no promises had been made regarding the reconnection of the bank to SWIFT. He also noted that the bank’s Luxembourg unit lacked a banking operations license and planned to close down.
Lavrov commented, ‘The essence of Guterres’ letter is for us to resume the Ukrainian portion of the grain deal, and in return, some action regarding SWIFT might occur in a month, with potential discussions with Lloyd’s insurance company in two to three months.'”
