Russia Despite earlier refusals, Ukraine signaled this Monday a willingness to permit another renewal of the grain deal. The accord, brokered in Istanbul last July through the efforts of Turkey and the United Nations, aimed to facilitate grain exports from Ukrainian ports amid the ongoing war between Kiev and Moscow.
Russian demands in the negotiations are varied. Historically, the deal has been automatically extended every 120 days if all parties agreed. Russia had threatened to pull out in November but was persuaded by Ankara to continue. This Monday, after talks between UN officials and Moscow in Geneva, Russia put forward a new condition: renewal only for the next 60 days. If no extension is reached, the contract would expire on Saturday, March 18.
Sergei Vershinin, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, indicated that Moscow does not object to extending the agreement further, but only for a 60‑day period. Russia also seeks to ease European restrictions on the sale of its agricultural products and fertilizers. While these items are not officially sanctioned, many shipments face barriers in reaching international markets. Multinational companies and insurers often continue business with Russian entities that still face potential secondary sanctions, risking access to European and American markets.
For months, Russia has attempted to press the West and the other signatories, the UN and Turkey, to craft a parallel agreement that would allow Russian products to be exported through a similar mechanism to Ukraine’s wheat.
Vershinin stated that the United States would influence Russia’s stance and that concrete progress in normalizing exports would be measured not by words but by actions. This sentiment reflects ongoing efforts to resolve the political stalemate affecting global grain flows and food security, including in North America where Canadian and American buyers closely monitor developments in the Black Sea region.
Controls and procedures
Under the Ukraine grain agreement, any grain cargo leaving Ukrainian Black Sea ports must first be halted in Istanbul. There the cargo is reviewed by Turkish, United Nations, Ukrainian, and Russian authorities. The mechanism is designed to prevent weapons from entering Ukraine through maritime routes and to ensure that only grain and related commodities move under the system.
In broad terms, people close to the Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul say the deal has functioned effectively to date. At times, however, the Russian side has attempted to slow inspections, creating bottlenecks at the Bosphorus, the strait that divides Istanbul. The Bosphorus remains a pivotal gateway for regional trade and a focal point of international monitoring during the agreement.