G7 Farm Ministers Recognize Importance of Grain Deal, Support Extension

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Agriculture ministers of the G7 countries have recognized the importance of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and expressed strong support for its expansion, implementation and extension in a joint communique issued following a two-day meeting in the Japanese city of Miyazaki.
Sputnik
"We recognize the importance of the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes, [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy’s Grain from Ukraine Initiative and the UN and Türkiye-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI). In this context, we strongly support the extension, full implementation and expansion of BSGI," the communique read.
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At the same time, G7 ministers accused Russia of allegedly using food "as a means of destabilization and as tool of geopolitical coercion."
"We will continue to design our restrictive measures against Russia to shield population in need from unintended consequences by ensuring food and fertilizers are carved out," the document added.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative, also known as the Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian ports, signed between Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Nations in July 2022, provides for the exports of Ukrainian grain, food and fertilizers over the Black Sea from three ports, including Odessa.
The package agreement also includes a memorandum of understanding between Russia and the UN to unblock Russian grain and fertilizer exports via the Black Sea, which, according to Moscow, has not been implemented amid Western sanctions.

In March, Russia extended the deal for 60 of possible 120 days. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said that most of the ships carrying Ukrainian grain did not reach the world's poorest countries and ended up in Europe.
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