UN chief regrets Russia's decision to exit grain export deal

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed regret over Russia's decision to withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Agreement and said he had sent an official letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin outlining why it is necessary to extend the grain export deal.

He said this at UN headquarters on Monday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"I deeply regret the decision by the Russian Federation to terminate the implementation of the Black Sea Initiative – including the withdrawal of Russian security guarantees for navigation in the northwestern part of the Black Sea," Guterres said.

He noted that the Black Sea Grain Initiative -- together with the Memorandum of Understanding on facilitating exports of Russian food products and fertilizers – "have been a lifeline for global food security and a beacon of hope in a troubled world."

Guterres said that Hundreds of millions of people face hunger and consumers are confronting a global cost-of-living crisis. He said that the Black Sea Grain Agreement had helped to reduce food prices by over 23 per cent since March last year.

The UN chief also said that he was aware of some obstacles that remained in the foreign trade of Russian food and fertilizer products.

"This is precisely why I sent a letter to President Putin with a new proposal to keep the Black Sea Initiative alive," Guterres said.

He also added that the UN would not stop its efforts to facilitate the unimpeded access to global markets for food products and fertilizers from both Ukraine and Russia.

Photo: JASON SZENES / EPA