America Resists Russian Demands in Ukrainian Grain Deal

The United States resisted Russian demands concerning the easing of Western sanctions before allowing the continuation of Ukrainian grain exports from the Black Sea after mid-May, stating that there are no restrictions on Russian agricultural products or fertilizers. Moscow's demands include allowing the Russian Agricultural Bank to return to the SWIFT banking system and lifting the ban on the accounts and financial activities of Russian fertilizer companies. The agreement, which permits the safe export of Ukrainian grain during wartime from its Black Sea ports, was renewed last Saturday for at least 60 days, half the desired period. Turkey and the United Nations had mediated the agreement from the beginning in July of last year. A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said that Washington strongly supports UN efforts to bring Ukrainian and Russian agricultural products to global markets, adding that the U.S. "has made extraordinary efforts to clarify our exemption for food and fertilizers from the sanctions imposed on Russia." The spokesperson noted that Russian food and fertilizer exports are proceeding alongside previous years, while Ukraine's food exports have declined by more than a third. He explained, "Russia is the one restricting its exports. It has imposed export quotas on certain fertilizers and has recently expanded (this) during the spring."