The United Nations Organization (UN) hopes to discuss next week with Russia the continuation of the agreement to facilitate the export of Ukrainian cereals through the Black Sea and the problems faced by Russian agricultural exports, especially fertilizers, according to what it said on Wednesday. a spokesman.
These conversations will come after this Wednesday, the organization’s secretary general, António Guterres, discussed this issue in kyiv with the Ukrainian president, Volodímir Zelenski.
The so-called Black Sea Agreement – sealed by Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations – has been one of the main initiatives of the UN in the framework of the war and will expire on March 18 unless all parties agree to prolong it.
According to spokesman Farhan Haq, following Wednesday’s contacts with Zelenski, a Russian delegation is expected to visit Geneva next week to continue the process and meet with the Secretary General of the UN Conference for Trade and Development (Unctad). , Rebecca Grynspan.
The Costa Rican policy directs by the United Nations the talks to try to guarantee that Russian exports of fertilizers and other agricultural products are free of obstacles.
Although Western sanctions do not directly affect these types of products, sales have been complicated by financial restrictions and the reluctance of logistics or insurance companies to participate in these operations for fear of violating the sanctions.
The head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, discussed last week the future of the grain agreement and its link to the export of Russian agricultural products with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavusoglu.
“The continuation of the grain agreement will only be possible if the interests of agricultural and fertilizer producers are taken into account in terms of their unrestricted access to the international market,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement about the meeting held. between the two diplomats on the margins of the G20.
After the meeting this Wednesday in kyiv, both Zelenski and Guterres stressed the importance of the Black Sea Agreement and made clear their desire for it to continue in force.
“We have agreed that the continuation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative is a crucial need for the whole world,” Zelensky said at his joint press conference with the UN secretary general.