Amid warfare, UN chief in Ukraine to speak on Black Sea grain deal renewal

UN chief Antonio Guterres arrived in war-torn Ukraine Tuesday to fulfill with President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his third journey since Russia’s full-scale invasion, the United Nations introduced.

New Delhi,UPDATED: Mar 8, 2023 03:01 IST

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Photo: AP/File)

By Reuters:

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv on Wednesday to debate extending a take care of Moscow that enables the Black Sea export of Ukraine grains amid Russia’s warfare within the nation.

“The Secretary-General has just arrived in Poland on his way to Ukraine,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric mentioned on Tuesday, including that Guterres will talk about the continuation of the deal “in all its aspects and other pertinent issues.”

The 120-day deal, initially brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in July and prolonged in November, will probably be renewed on March 18 if no get together objects. Russia has signalled that obstacles to its personal agricultural exports have to be eliminated earlier than it lets the Ukraine’s Black Sea grain deal proceed.

To assist persuade Russia to permit Ukraine to renew Black Sea grain exports in July final 12 months, a three-year deal was additionally struck by which the United Nations agreed to assist facilitate Russian meals and fertilizer exports.

Ukraine and Russia are each main world suppliers of grains and fertilizers.

Western powers have hit Russia with robust sanctions over its invasion of neighboring Ukraine multiple 12 months in the past. While Russia’s meals and fertilizer exports usually are not topic to sanctions, Moscow says restrictions on its funds, logistics and insurance coverage industries are a “barrier” to such shipments.

ALSO READ | Not optimistic about chance of efficient peace talks in Ukraine warfare in instant future: UN chief

Guterres is touring with U.N. support chief Martin Griffiths and senior U.N. commerce official Rebeca Grynspan. Griffiths led negotiations on the Ukraine Black Sea deal, whereas Grynspan is working to facilitate Russia’s meals and fertilizer exports.

Guterres is due again in New York on Thursday, Dujarric mentioned. It is Guterres’ third go to to Ukraine up to now 12 months.

Ukraine has up to now exported greater than 23 million tonnes of primarily corn and wheat beneath the deal, in accordance with the United Nations. The prime main locations for shipments have been China, Spain, Turkey, Italy and the Netherlands.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu mentioned on Sunday that Ankara was “working hard for the smooth implementation and further extension of the Black Sea grain deal.”

Cavusoglu’s remarks pushed U.S. and wheat futures down sharply on Monday on expectations critical efforts had been being made to resume the deal, which in flip would larger volumes of grains may very well be accessible on world markets in coming months.

ALSO READ | Top UN human rights physique appears to chastise Russia for warfare crimes in Ukraine

Published On:

Mar 8, 2023