Russia Rejoins Grain Deal

The Russian Defense Ministry states that Moscow has received sufficient written guarantees from Ukraine that the humanitarian corridor and Ukrainian ports will not be used to conduct military operations against Russia. Russia resumes implementation of the “grain deal” for the safe export of Ukrainian agricultural products through humanitarian corridors in the Black Sea. Moscow has received the necessary written guarantees from Ukraine that the humanitarian corridor and Ukrainian ports will not be used for combat operations against Russia, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday, November 2. The agency reported that the guarantees were obtained thanks to the UN and Turkey and appear to be sufficient for the time being, so the Russian Federation resumes participation in the agreement. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed the resumption of Ukrainian food exports by sea through the humanitarian corridor agreed in July. Speaking in Ankara, he said that grain from Ukrainian ports will continue to be delivered from 12:00 Moscow time. According to Erdogan, he agreed on this with Russian President Vladimir Putin the day before. Agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea On October 29, Russia suspended participation in agreements on the export of agricultural products from Ukrainian ports, explaining the decision by drone attacks on the ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol Bay and accusing Great Britain of being involved in them. The press service of the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the “green corridor” created as part of the “grain deal” allegedly became a cover for the attacks on the ships. Europe and the US sharply criticized Moscow’s decision and called for the resumption of grain exports. The next day, the UN, Turkey and Ukraine agreed on the movement of 14 ships in Turkish waters on October 31 without Russian participation. In addition, the three parties to the agreement arranged for inspections of 40 departing ships on the same day. Thus, despite the decision of the Russian Federation, the “grain corridor” continued to work. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia was blocking the passage of grain-laden ships. The agreement between Russia and Ukraine, which aims to end the blockade of Ukrainian ports for grain exports, was signed July 22 in Istanbul with the mediation of the UN and Turkey. According to the agreement, Ukrainian food exports, blocked since the beginning of Russia’s war against Ukraine, have been carried out since August 1 from three Ukrainian ports – Odesa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhne. According to the UN, by October 28, the volume of grain exports under this agreement was about 9 million tons. DW