MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday threatened to abandon a landmark grain deal with Ukraine if obstacles to Moscow’s exports remained.
Negotiated in July by Turkey and the United Nations, the agreement allows Ukraine — one of the world’s top grain producers — to export grain through a safe corridor in the Black Sea.
During his visit, Lavrov also threatened to abandon a landmark grain deal, which Turkey helped broker if obstacles to Russian exports remain. The deal allowed vital exports to leave blocked ports in the Black Sea, but Russia has repeatedly threatened to abandon it, citing that its side of the deal, promising the right to export fertilizer free from Western sanctions, is not respected. Ankara is pushing for a 120-day extension in compliance with the original agreement negotiated by Ankara and the United Nations last July.
“Any talk needs to be based on taking into account Russian interests, Russian concerns,” Lavrov said. “It should be about the principles on which the new world order will be based.” He added that Russia rejects a “unipolar world order led by ‘one hegemon.'” Russia has long said it is leading a struggle against the United States’ dominance over the international stage and argues that the Ukraine offensive is part of that fight.
Sergei Lavrov said that any peace talks regarding Ukraine should focus on creating a “new world order” during a visit to Turkey on Friday. Lavrov was in Turkey to hold talks with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, as Russia continues its more than year-long offensive in Ukraine, which has seen rising fears of a global food crisis. Russia and Ukraine are major exporters of grain and other agricultural products.
The beginning of the offensive has seen Moscow facing mounting criticism and sanctions from the international community. However, the Kremlin said this week that it had no choice but to continue its offensive, seeing no diplomatic solution. Lavrov’s comments come as the US and its allies are considering imposing further sanctions against Russia, with concerns growing over Moscow’s actions in Ukraine and other geopolitical issues.
Ukraine criticize Russian approach to scrap grain deal
The threat to abandon the grain deal also comes amid tensions between Russia and Turkey over the conflict in Syria. Moscow has been providing support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey has backed opposition forces seeking to oust him. Despite the tensions, Turkey has maintained ties with both Moscow and Kyiv.
In response to Lavrov’s comments, Ukrainian officials have criticized Russia’s approach, saying that any peace talks must prioritize the restoration of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The conflict in Ukraine began in 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine launched an insurgency. The fighting has since claimed over 13,000 lives.
As tensions continue to increase, it remains to be seen what impact Lavrov’s comments will have on the ongoing conflict and the global community’s response to it.
