HIROSHIMA /Japan/, May 20. /TASS/. The Group of Seven (G7) countries view the Black Sea Grain Initiative as critically important, according to a statement adopted at the G7 summit in the Japanese city of Hiroshima.
"We reiterate the critical importance of continued and scaled-up implementation of the UN and Turkey-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI) in order to further facilitate grain exports from Ukraine and enable stable supply to those in need," the statement reads.
The G7 nations said that they were concerned "about the current and future impact of Russia’s deliberate disruption of Ukraine’s agricultural sector on food security in the most vulnerable countries" and called on Russia "to stop threatening global food supplies and to allow the BSGI to operate at its maximum potential and for as long as necessary.".
"We continue to provide support for the restoration of Ukraine’s agriculture sector, including support to its efforts in identifying and evidencing illegal seizure of Ukrainian grains by Russia, through the creation of a grain database which can be used to verify the origin of grain shipments," the G7 leaders noted.
The G7 also emphasized the importance of food export initiatives by Ukraine and the European Union, including the Grain From Ukraine Initiative. "We call for more concrete actions to address export restrictions imposed by agricultural producer countries on global food security, recognizing that such measures have a disproportionate effect on countries at greater risk of famine and acute food insecurity," the document added.
The grain deal was extended for two months starting on May 18. Russia’s Foreign Ministry pointed out earlier that the Russia-related part of the accords was not being implemented.