MOSCOW, May 17. /TASS/. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday refused to speculate on actions Russia may take if the grain deal is not extended.

"I don’t think hypothetical conversations are relevant," the Russian presidential spokesman told reporters, when asked to comment on what measures Moscow may take in that scenario.

"So far, no decision [on the grain deal] has been announced. We just have to wait until there is an announcement," he said.

Agreements to enable the export of food and fertilizers to world markets were signed on July 22, 2022 in Istanbul. They were originally meant to last 120 days and were extended for another 120 days in November. Russia announced on March 18 that the deal was extended for another 60 days, saying this would be enough time to assess the effectiveness of the memorandum signed with the UN.

Moscow has said repeatedly that any further extension of the deal hinges on whether the Russian part of the deal is implemented. The lack of progress in this issue jeopardizes the future of the entire initiative.