Kyiv is grateful for the extension of the grain deal, Moscow remains critical

Ukraine this Wednesday thanked UN and Turkish mediators for a two-month extension of an agreement with Russia to export Ukrainian grains across the Black Sea, and Moscow criticized his “unbalanced” statement.

“We are grateful to our partners, the UN and Turkey, for their efforts to improve food security in the world,” Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov, who is following this issue, said about the text needed to provide countries with food. in Africa and Asia, interrupted last year by the Russian war in Ukraine that began in February.

“The main task now is to make the agreement effective by removing artificial obstacles,” the Ukrainian ruler added on the social network Twitter.

Ukraine welcomed the “firm and decisive position” of its partners and was supposed to export 30.4 million tons of agricultural products in accordance with this agreement.

According to Kyiv, since April, Russia began to “unreasonably restrict the application” of the text, refusing to register Ukrainian vessels and conduct inspections.

“Currently, there are about 70 ships in Turkish territorial waters, and 90% of them are ready to deliver the products of our farmers,” said Alexander Kubrakov.

“We welcome the continuation of the initiative, but we insist that it work effectively,” he added, calling on Ukraine’s allies to put an end to Russia’s “sabotage.”

Russia, another major global exporter of agricultural products, criticizes that the agreement does not take into account its interests, and its production is subject to Western sanctions.

Today, Moscow again insisted on this issue, calling for correcting the “unbalanced” application of the agreement.

“Our main comments on the agreement (…) have not changed. Disproportions in its application must be corrected as soon as possible,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova at a time when Moscow’s complaint that their exports of fertilizers and food products continue to be stopped.”

The military offensive launched by Russia on February 24, 2022 in Ukraine has so far caused the flight of more than 14.7 million people – 6.5 million internally displaced persons and more than 8.2 million to European countries – from, according to the latest UN data , which classifies this migrant crisis as the worst in Europe since the Second World War (1939-1945).

At least 18 million Ukrainians are in need of humanitarian assistance, and 9.3 million are in need of food aid and housing.

The Russian invasion, justified by Russian President Vladimir Putin on the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russia’s security, was condemned by the international community at large, which responded by sending weapons to Ukraine and imposing political and economic sanctions on Russia.

The UN has presented as confirmed since the start of the war, which entered its 448th day this Wednesday, 8,836 civilians killed and 14,985 wounded, stressing that these numbers are much lower than the real ones.