Russia's terms of Black Sea grain deal still not met, dialogue to continue - Peskov

MOSCOW. May 2 (Interfax) - Russia's terms of the Black Sea grain deal have still not been met, "time is shrinking," and a dialogue on it will continue, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said.

Journalists asked Peskov on Tuesday whether the Kremlin could confirm media reports that negotiations on the grain deal were scheduled for Wednesday and what position Russia would assume in them.

"Russia's position is well known. The deal has been extended for two months, and time is shrinking like the Magic Skin. The deal's terms have not been met as concerns the Russian agricultural sector. A dialogue will continue," Peskov said.

He was asked whether Moscow might fully withdraw from the deal if its terms are still not met.

"There has been an extension for 60 days. This decision is strictly limited in time. Everyone is [also] well aware of not even a term but of those elements of the deal that have been stipulated from the very start but have still not been met, unfortunately. They are also well known," Peskov said.

He was also asked whether any meetings were planned before May 18 to discuss the grain deal and possibly extend it.

"I can't tell you anything exactly as concerns the level, the venue, and the time. Contacts are continuing, but they haven't yielded any results thus far," he said.

The grain deal was signed in Istanbul on July 22, 2022. The UN, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine signed two documents to open a grain corridor from three Ukrainian ports - Chernomorsk, Odessa and Yuzhny, and to enable Russian food and fertilizer exports. The initiative was extended for 120 days in November 2022. After the initiative expired on March 18, it was extended for another 60 days.

"Due to the lack of progress on the implementation of the Russia-UN memorandum on the normalization of Russian agricultural exports, a decision was made in Moscow to reduce the period of the latest extension to 60 days, meaning until May 18," Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.