Sticking to its original demands, Russia on Saturday mentioned that its demands need no interpretation and Russia maintains its clear and consistent position.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, Russia needs to have its own agricultural bank – and not a subsidiary, as proposed by the United Nations which will reconnect it to the international SWIFT bank payments system. The Black Sea grain deal was brokered by Turkey and the United Nations in July 2022 to enable Ukraine to export grain by sea despite the war and help ease a global food crisis.
It was accompanied by an agreement to facilitate Russia’s own exports of food and fertilisers, which according to Moscow have not been met. Moscow’s uncompromising restatement of its position came five days after President Putin met his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan and discussed the grain issue.