Russia receives assurances from UN regarding food, fertilizer exports as part of grain deal extension - Peskov

MOSCOW. Nov 17 (Interfax) - While working on the extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Moscow received assurances from the United Nations that exports of Russian foodstuffs and fertilizers would be guaranteed, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said.

"Certainly, there have been assurances from the UN that the work on ensuring exports of Russian food and fertilizers would be finalized," Peskov told journalists, when asked whether concerns regarding the grain deal implementation earlier voiced by Moscow were taken into consideration.

"The work done on this by the UN has produced its results," Peskov said.

"There have been statements from the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union regarding sanction exemptions for Russian food and fertilizer exporters. This is significant progress, and this work will be finalized so as to completely unblock all direct and indirect problems in this way," he said.

There was no talk about extending the grain deal open-endedly, he said.

"No, there was no talk about an open-ended extension," he said in commenting on the deal's extension.

As reported earlier on Thursday, the Black Sea Grain Initiative has been extended for another 120 days.