WASHINGTON, September 6. /TASS/. The US Department of State is demonstrating the unwillingness of the US side to discuss the lifting of restrictions on Russian agricultural supplies to other countries, the Russian Embassy in Washington said in a statement published on its Telegram channel.

"We paid attention to today's statements by the State Department officials, which clearly demonstrate Washington's unwillingness to discuss the topic of unblocking the supply of Russian agricultural products. This once again confirms that the United States is not interested in facilitating the shipments of Russian agricultural commodities abroad. It is the Western sanctions that impede the countries in need from purchasing our food products," the statement said.

"As for the 'Black Sea Initiative,' the suspension of its implementation did not affect the work of international food markets. At the same time, Russia is ready to consider the possibility of resuming the 'grain deal' as soon as systemic tasks aimed at promoting Russian agricultural export are solved," the statement stressed. "Our country remains a reliable supplier of food products and fertilizers. Despite all the difficulties that arise, we continue to fulfill our contractual obligations," the embassy added.

Earlier, US State Department Deputy Spokesman Vedant Patel said that Washington thinks that diplomatic opportunities to revive the grain deal have not yet been exhausted. He did not comment on remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following talks in Sochi with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that Ukraine should soften its stance. "We welcome the efforts of our Turkish partners, including President Erdogan, to try and convince Russia to return to the deal," he noted. Patel pointed out that the US is simultaneously working on alternative export routes for Ukrainian products, which, however, will not be able to completely replace the Black Sea corridor.

Speaking at a press conference in Sochi on September 4 after talks with Putin, Erdogan said that Ankara, together with the UN, had prepared a new set of initiatives for the resumption of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and hoped for their positive consideration. The Russian president, in turn, said that Moscow was ready to return to the grain deal as soon as promises given to it under the deal were fulfilled.