Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated Tuesday that Russia favors restarting the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
He suggested the agreement should be in a format “more acceptable to all parties” involved.
Lavrov noted this issue was a central point of discussion during recent Russian-US talks held in Riyadh.
Speaking to Russian media in Moscow, Lavrov emphasized a critical hurdle to the deal’s revival: a lack of trust in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
He asserted that Russia needs assurances it can rely upon. Russia seeks a stable and predictable market for its grain and fertilizers.
They aim to prevent external actors from marginalizing Russia in these crucial sectors.
Moscow voiced particular concern regarding the food crisis affecting African nations and the Global South.
Lavrov attributed this crisis to Western interference in global trade mechanisms.
The original Black Sea Initiative facilitated Ukrainian grain exports and aimed to ease sanctions on Russian agricultural goods.
Russia declined to extend the agreement in July 2023, citing the incomplete implementation of its terms.