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Meeting between Russia, Turkey, Ukraine on grain deal not coordinated — Russian MFA

On March 18, 2023, Russia announced that the deal would be extended for 60 more days, saying this would be enough time to assess the efficacy of the memorandum signed with the UN

MOSCOW, May 3. /TASS/. The possible meeting between the delegations of Russia, Ukraine and Turkey on the issue of the Black Sea grain initiative has not been agreed, the Russian Foreign Ministry told TASS on Wednesday.

Earlier, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar told about plans to hold a meeting on the grain deal between Turkey, Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul on May 5.

"The issue has not been coordinated," the Foreign Ministry said.

On July 22, 2022, a package of agreements on food and fertilizer exports to the global market was inked in Istanbul for a period of 120 days, and then was extended for the same period in November. On March 18, 2023, Russia announced that the deal would be extended for 60 more days, saying this would be enough time to assess the efficacy of the memorandum signed with the UN.

The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out that any additional extensions of the deal would hinge on whether Rosselkhozbank is reconnected to SWIFT; the exports of agricultural equipment, spare parts and maintenance services resume; the insurance and reinsurance restrictions as well as the ban on calls to ports are lifted; the Tolyatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline is restarted; and foreign assets and accounts of Russian companies related to production and transportation of food and fertilizers are unblocked.