US collaboration with UN food and fertiliser export complaints from Russia

 

Despite the fact that Moscow's exports of the goods have not been affected, the United States is collaborating with the UN to address Russian accusations that sanctions are impeding its food and fertiliser supplies, a senior U.S. official said on Friday.

On July 22, the United Nations, Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia reached an understanding over what the U.N. head Antonio Guterres as part of a package deal to enable Russian supplies and restore Ukraine's Black Sea grain and fertiliser exports.

Despite the fact that Moscow's exports of the products have not been impacted, a senior U.S. official said on Friday that the US is working with the UN to respond to Russian claims that sanctions are limiting its access to food and fertiliser.

Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Nations came to an agreement on what the U.N. chief Antonio Guterres in exchange for allowing Russian supplies and restoring Ukraine's Black Sea grain and fertiliser exports.

The concerns, in my opinion, are just a case of disinformation, O'Brien added.

O'Brien claimed that although Washington was working in good faith, Russia does not require the agreement since it has access to the markets through other channels.

In response to particular concerns, the United States would do everything we can, according to O'Brien, and Russia and the U.N. are just now engaged on some specific requests that it has under the U.N. agreement and I think we'll see progress in that over the next few weeks.

Moscow claims that Russia's access to international markets is limited by logistical sanctions, prohibitions on Russian ships entering Western ports, and requirements for obtaining insurance. It claims that removing these limitations was a condition of the export arrangement.

The agreement was challenged by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, who said that Ukraine was sending food and fertiliser to the European Union and Turkey rather than to underdeveloped nations. In November, the agreement enabling exports from Ukraine is up for renewal.

According to the UN, 30% of the grain and other supplies that have so far left Ukraine under the agreement have gone to low- and lower-middle income nations.