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Remarks about unsafe zones in Black Sea complicate maritime traffic — UN

"All of this is taking us further away from our efforts to re-open these lanes and to get everything that we need out to market, which is Ukrainian and Russian food and fertilizer," the spokesman said

UNITED NATIONS, July 21. /TASS/. Ukraine and Russia’s remarks about unsafe zones in the Black Sea impede the effort to restore maritime cargo traffic in the region, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric has told reporters.

"All of this is taking us further away from our efforts to re-open these lanes and to get everything that we need out to market, which is Ukrainian and Russian food and fertilizer," the spokesman said.

He added that in order to have the deal resumed, "we also need to ensure that we don’t see an escalation both in actions and rhetoric."

On Wednesday, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that effective at 12 midnight Moscow time on July 20, Russia, in connection with the termination of the grain deal, will consider all ships destined for Ukrainian ports traversing the Black Sea to be carriers of military cargo. The Defense Ministry clarified additionally that those countries under whose flags such vessels are sailing will be deemed to be involved in the Ukrainian conflict on the side of Kiev. In addition, the Ministry announced that a number of areas in northwestern and southeastern parts of the Black Sea have been declared temporarily dangerous for navigation.

In turn, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry announced that it would consider all ships travelling through the Black Sea to Russian ports as carrying military cargo starting at midnight, July 21.

The grain deal, which provided for safe export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea and establishment of preconditions for export of Russian food and fertilizer, was signed one year ago and was prolonged several times. On July 17, Russia refused to continue its participation in this initiative. Russian President Vladimir Putin assured that Moscow is ready to return to the deal if all promises given to Russia are fulfilled. On July 17, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky claimed that ship owner companies allegedly told Kiev that they are ready to continue exporting grain from Ukrainian ports, if Ukraine lets their ships out of ports and Turkey lets them through the straits.

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