Anatoly Antonov, the Russian ambassador to the United States, characterized recent US statements about extending the grain deal as a clear example of deception. The claim appeared on the Telegram channel of the Russian embassy in Washington.
According to Antonov, comments from American officials were not just inaccurate but openly false. Rather than acknowledging the progress made through consultations on the agreement, US authorities quickly criticized Russia again and accused Moscow of creating artificial obstacles to grain deliveries to the world’s poorest nations.
The ambassador argued that such remarks amount to more than a misrepresentation of events; they amount to deliberate misinformation. Moscow contends that the Istanbul framework and the specific conditions outlined in the Russia-UN memorandum have not been fully respected. He pressed for a restoration of Russia’s access to international ports for ships, the normalization of dry cargo insurance, the removal of constraints on supplying agricultural equipment and technologies to Russia, and the reconnection of Rosselkhozbank to the SWIFT system, as well as the initiation of the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline project.
Antonov accused Ukrainian grain shipments of being diverted to other markets under various pretenses and claimed that only a small portion of the 30 million tons of cargo actually reached those in need. He also asserted that Russian products, including humanitarian aid goods, face prolonged detentions in Western ports.
He urged US authorities to replace loud slogans with concrete steps aimed at correcting imbalances in the global food market caused by unilateral sanctions and political demands. The Russian position is that moving the Black Sea Initiative toward a sustainable, long-term basis requires full consideration of Russia’s interests and assurances that Russia’s own export capabilities are not hamstrung by policy choices abroad.
Former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan acknowledged that extending the grain deal was beneficial but stressed the need for greater certainty about the world’s future food supply and market stability.