UN chief sends Russia new proposals to revive Black Sea grain deal but Moscow isn’t satisfied
The United Nations chief sent Russia a new proposal aimed at getting its grain and fertilizer to global markets in hopes of reviving the deal that allowed Ukraine to ship almost 33,000 tons of grain at a time of growing global hunger.
But Moscow wasn’t satisfied with the letter that U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sent Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier this week.
Speaking at a press conference Thursday after meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Lavrov said he had given Ankara a list of actions that the West would have to take in order to resume Ukrainian shipments.
The United Nations and Turkey brokered the deal in July 2022 that allowed Ukraine to ship grain and other foodstuffs from three Black Sea ports. A separate memorandum between the U.N. and Russia pledged to overcome obstacles to Moscow’s shipment of food and fertilizer to world markets.