WASHINGTON, July 18. /TASS/. The US has turned the Black Sea Grain Initiative into a commercial project for the benefit of Western agricultural companies so Moscow’s decision to stop participating in the deal is in line with the current situation, Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said in a statement posted on the Russian embassy’s Telegram channel.
When commenting on the US administration calling on Moscow to return to the grain deal as soon as possible, Antonov said: "Washington has not lifted a finger to eliminate the agricultural agreements distortions that were created by the US."
"At the same time, the United States turned the Black Sea Initiative that was originally conceived as a humanitarian one, into a commercial project for the benefit of Western agricultural companies. For almost a year, food products were supplied not to destitute countries, but mainly to developed Western states," he emphasized.
"What have the local authorities done to ensure that the interrelated Istanbul Agreements are effectively implemented?! Perhaps they have contributed to the removal of the barriers impeding the implementation of the Russia-UN Memorandum on the promotion of Russian grain and fertilizers to the world markets, which is as important for global food security?" Antonov went on to say.
"The decision of our country not to renew participation in the grain deal absolutely corresponds with the current circumstances. The [US] administration should stop misleading the rest of the world. We will be ready to consider the issue of restoring the mechanism only when we are absolutely certain about the efficiency and effectiveness of the package of the Istanbul Agreements," the Russian ambassador stressed.
The grain deal came to an end on July 17. Russia refused to extend it again because the part of the deal envisaging the removal of obstacles for Russian agricultural exports had not been implemented. Apart from that, Moscow has repeatedly stressed that the bulk of grain that was meant to be supplied to the poorest counties was shipped to Western countries. Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow was ready to resurrect the deal but only after its part related to obligations to Moscow was fulfilled.