UN waits for Russian answer as Black Sea grain deal deadline looms

Reuters :
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is still waiting for a response from Russian President Vladimir Putin on a proposal to extend a deal allowing the safe Black Sea export of Ukraine grain beyond Monday, a UN spokesperson said on Friday.
Guterres wrote to Putin on Tuesday asking him to extend the Black Sea deal in return for connecting a subsidiary of Russia’s Agricultural Bank (Rosselkhozbank) to the international payment system SWIFT, sources told Reuters.

The last ship traveling under the Black Sea deal is loading its cargo at Ukraine’s Odesa port. Russia has not agreed to register any new ships since June 27 and the initiative will expire on Monday if Moscow does not agree to extend it.
Russia has threatened to quit the deal – brokered by the UN and Turkey in July 2022 – because Moscow has said its demands to improve its own grain and fertilizer exports have not been met. Ukraine and Russia are among the world’s top grain exporters.

More than 32 million metric tons of corn, wheat and other grains have been exported by Ukraine under the arrangement. Russia has complained that not enough has reached poor countries, but the UN has argued that it has benefited those states by helping lower food prices more than 20 per cent globally.
“Discussions are being had, WhatsApp messages are being sent, Signal messages are being sent and exchanged.