MOSCOW, March 20. /TASS/. Russia will continue to diligently fulfill its obligations under the grain deal, but there is no such certainty regarding other sides, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said during an online briefing for Russian media Monday.
"We have been fulfilling our obligations and we will keep fulfilling them. As for other sides, I have no such certainty," the Deputy Foreign Minister said.
The diplomat noted that the Russian side continues its export "amid difficult circumstances." He noted the words of President Vladimir Putin, who underscored that Moscow insists on the package nature of the deal - primarily in the interest of African and other developing countries.
"As of now, the overall volume of food, exported from Ukrainian ports, is over 25 million tons," he continued. "This product went primarily to high-income countries (almost half) and then - to countries with higher-than-average income. According to information available today, only 2.6% went to low-income countries. What countries? For example, Ethiopia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia."
The Deputy Foreign Minister called Putin’s statement about Moscow’s decision to send Russian agricultural products and fertilizer to such countries for free, even if the grain deal is cancelled, a "very serious decision".