Grain deal cannot be revived on previous terms, affirms Russian lawmaker

Reviving the grain deal is impossible as long as the security corridor is used for terrorist attacks, and the agreement cannot be resurrected under the previous conditions, Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said on his Telegram channel on Tuesday.

The politician recalled that previously “Russia had provided the Ukrainian side with an opportunity to export grain, which was supposed to go to the most needy African and Asian countries,” yet “only 3-4% went to these countries,” and most of it went to wealthy EU countries.

However, he continued that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky “through his actions cancelled out all the agreements reached with the participation of Turkey and the UN, so the Kiev regime has exhibited its terrorist essence.”

“Resuming the grain deal is impossible as long as the security corridor is used for terrorist attacks,” Volodin wrote.

“The use of the security corridor for terrorist attacks against the ships of the Black Sea Fleet is unacceptable. There can be no grain deal under the previous conditions,” the chairman of the State Duma emphasized.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters that Russia’s decision to suspend the grain deal was due to a threat to the humanitarian corridor, and that Moscow was not terminating the deal, but suspending its participation. According to the Russian president, “Ukraine must guarantee that there will be no threats to civilian vessels and to Russian supply vessels.”

Source: Tass  

Edited by Hamda Mustafa