UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has proposed to Russian President Vladimir Putin a “way forward aimed at the improvement, extension and expansion” of a deal allowing the safe Black Sea export of Ukrainian grain, a UN spokesperson said on Monday (Apr 24).
Guterres outlined his proposal in a letter that he asked Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to deliver to Putin, deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said in a statement after Guterres and Lavrov met in New York.
Lavrov did not answer questions on his way in or out of the 90-minute meeting with Guterres. Guterres took note of Russia’s concerns about its own grain and fertiliser exports, Haq said.
“He provided a detailed report on the progress already achieved in this regard and reiterated the United Nations’ commitment to continue working to address remaining issues,” Haq said.
Lavrov was quoted by TASS news agency as saying that Moscow would study the letter.
“The secretary general talked about the efforts he is making to move the Russian part of this deal as far as possible,” TASS quoted Lavrov as saying. “So far the progress, frankly, is not very noticeable.”
Russia has signalled it will not allow the deal – brokered by the UN and Türkiye and agreed by Russia and Ukraine in July last year – to continue beyond May 18 because a list of demands for its exports has not been met.
Haq said the letter to Putin takes “into account positions recently expressed by the parties and the risks posed by global food insecurity”. He said similar letters have also been sent to Ukraine and Türkiye.
The deal was intended to help tackle a global food crisis that UN officials said had been worsened by Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
To help persuade Russia to allow Ukraine to resume Black Sea grain exports, a separate three-year pact was also struck in which the UN agreed to help Russia export food and fertiliser.
Lavrov is in New York to chair two UN Security Council meetings on Monday and Tuesday because Russia holds the monthly rotating presidency of the 15-member body.
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