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No ongoing talks on resuming grain deal, Kremlin confirms

Dmitry Peskov recalled that "the deal was never fulfilled in the part that concerned Russia"

MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/. The Kremlin has stated that there are currently no talks being held on resuming the grain deal and no grounds for holding such discussions.

"No, these conversations are no longer being held," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in response to a relevant question.

According to him, "there is no reason to resume these conversations."

Peskov recalled that "the deal was never fulfilled in the part that concerned Russia."

"There are no prospects for implementing [this part of the deal], we don’t see them," the Kremlin official said.

"As for other paths, they are dangerous, they are full of risks," the press secretary of the Russian President believes. In his opinion, "this is more a topic for insurance companies, for commercial shipowners involved in this."

"Of course, everyone there must be aware that they are dealing with huge risks," the Kremlin spokesman warned.

The grain deal ended on July 17, 2023. Russian President Vladimir Putin repeatedly pointed out that the West exported the lion's share of Ukrainian grain to their states, while the main goal of the deal was to ship grain to countries in need, which was not done.

On August 10, the Ukrainian Navy announced so-called temporary corridors in the Black Sea for merchant ships heading to the ports of Odessa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny. Nevertheless, Kiev warned that there remains a military threat and a mine threat on the route, so ships whose owners and captains "officially confirm their readiness to sail in these conditions" are allowed to pass.

The UN, which organized the deal, noted that Ukraine's "temporary corridors" cannot replace the grain deal, the volume of exports under which could reach 4 million tons of food per month.