Russian Foreign Minister Rejects UN Secretary-General’s Proposal

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has criticized UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ plans to revive the Black Sea Grains Initiative, calling them “unrealistic.” Speaking at the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Lavrov stated that while Russia does not reject the proposal, it is simply not feasible.

Challenges in Implementing the Initiative

Lavrov emphasized that the proposed initiative cannot be implemented as it stands. He conveyed this message directly to the UN delegates in New York. The minister pointed out that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which included a naval blockade of Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea, further complicates the situation.

Russia’s Refusal to Extend the Agreement

In July, Moscow refused to extend the international agreement negotiated by the United Nations and Turkey. This agreement aimed to enable Ukrainian agricultural exports to reach global markets from three ports. The original deal also included provisions for facilitating the export of Russian food products and fertilizers. However, Moscow has complained that this aspect of the agreement was not respected, as reiterated by Lavrov in his recent speech.

Guterres’ Attempts to Revive the Agreement

In an effort to revive the agreement, Secretary-General Guterres proposed concessions to Russia. He suggested that Moscow could regain access to the international payment system Swift by establishing a Russian Agricultural Bank company for certain payments. Guterres also mentioned freezing the assets of fertilizer companies in Europe and allowing Russian ships to enter European ports in his speech.