UK assesses likelihood of extending grain deal after July 18

Barbara Woodward, the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations, said this. 

"I'm not confident about its renewal. I don't know how this is factoring into Russia's calculations, but I know that the UN is doing all it can and we will do all we can," she said.

Commenting on Russia's promise to provide grain to African countries free of charge, Woodward said: "I don't take that promise at face value at all."

The United Kingdom, which currently holds the presidency of the UN Security Council, is in favor of including India, Brazil, Germany, Japan, and African countries in the body.

"Powerful countries are neglecting their responsibilities, and we want to be an agent of progress to change that," said Woodward. 

She hopes that the UK's presidency of the UN Security Council will help her collect more evidence of war crimes by the Russian leadership.

What is known about the grain deal

The agreement, known as the Black Sea Grain Initiative, was concluded between Russia and Ukraine with the mediation of the UN and Turkey in July 2022 in Istanbul. It has since been extended several times.

In January, the Ministry of Infrastructure said that as a result of Russian actions in the Bosphorus, the world loses millions of tons of Ukrainian food every month. The occupiers are hampering the inspection of ships that export grain to third world countries.

In March 2023, the Russian Federation informed the parties that the agreement would be extended for only 60 days instead of 120. These agreements were due to expire on May 18.

To extend it, the Russians demanded:

• reconnecting Rosselkhozbank to SWIFT

• resumption of supply of agricultural machinery, spare parts and service

• lifting restrictions on insurance and reinsurance plus lifting the ban on access to ports

• resumption of the Togliatti-Odesa ammonia pipeline

• unblocking foreign assets and accounts of Russian companies related to the production and transportation of food and fertilizers.

On May 17, the grain deal was extended for 60 days. The Russians' demands were not met.

On June 5, the Russian Federation stated that it saw no prospects for extending the agreement in July, and on June 22, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry noted that it did not see the Russians' readiness to continue the grain initiative.

Ukraine is looking for alternative ways to supply grain to Africa, Europe and Asia.

On June 23, Ukraine announced it would participate in the construction of a grain terminal in Nigeria.