3 May 2023 12:59

Russia won't do anything against its interests, if Black Sea grain deal terminated - Peskov

MOSCOW. May 3 (Interfax) - Should the Black Sea Grain Initiative be terminated, Russia will not do anything going against its interests, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said.

"Let's not run ahead of ourselves. Certainly, Russia won't be doing anything that goes against its interests," Peskov told journalists on Wednesday, when asked what Russia would do if the grain deal was not extended.

"Contacts are continuing. The Russian side will continue contacts with representatives of the United Nations and other representatives, expecting that the deal's terms will be implemented," Peskov said.

He replied in the negative when asked whether there have been any discussions on possibly expanding the format of the grain deal negotiations, particularly by engaging countries interested in Russian grain.

Journalists also asked Peskov what stance Russia would assume in the upcoming grain deal talks in Moscow and Istanbul.

"We are interested in seeing the deal's terms honored and the agreements that were reached quite long ago, when the deal was activated, implemented. Contacts on this account are continuing. Nothing more can be said, because there are very modest reasons for optimism, if not downright the opposite," he said.