UNITED NATIONS, April 24. /TASS/. Russia was dissatisfied with the United Nations’ work under the grain deal, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin said.
"We suspended our participation in the grain deal. We are dissatisfied with other components of this deal as well (beside the memorandum between Russia and the United Nations on unimpeded access to global markets for Russian agricultural products and fertilizers - TASS), especially what concerns the UN role. I don’t mean to say that the United Nations did nothing. It did what it could. But it was not enough to reach any progress," he said.
He noted that during his visit to New York he did not have any talks with UN officials on the Russian-UN memorandum.
Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya told TASS earlier that Russia saw no reasons to resume the grain deal because essential provisions Russia insistent on had not been implemented.
The grain deal expired on July 17, 2023. Russia, which had repeatedly extended the July 2022 agreement on the Black Sea corridor for the passage of ships carrying Ukrainian grain, recalled that the part of the deal that concerned Russia — the removal of obstacles to agricultural exports — had never been implemented. Moscow also pointed out that although the agreements were intended to send food to the poorest countries, most of Ukraine’s grain went to developed Western countries. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia was ready to return to the agreement, but only if the part concerning Moscow was implemented.
Being the UN host country, the United States regularly denies entry visas not only to Russian officials but even to technical experts, Pankin added.
"Many Russian officials, regardless of their positions, from top-ranking officials to technical experts, are often denied entry visas," he said in reply to a TASS question.
He noted however that during his visit to New York he did not discuss this matter with UN officials but employees of the Russian mission to the UN have repeatedly raised this issue and informed UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres about the United States’ improper fulfillment of its host country obligations.
"UN representatives say they are doing their best but this matter is addressed by the Department of State and other institutions," Pankin added.