State Dept accuses Russia of preventing grain deal from functioning

WASHINGTON. May 23 (Interfax) - Russia is not honoring its obligations under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, United States Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Tuesday.

"The parties agreed to enable unimpeded exports of Ukrainian food from three ports. Now, Russia is refusing to allow ships one of those three. It is a clear violation of their commitments under the Black Sea Grain Initiative," Miller told a press conference.

"Russia continues to obstruct the normal operations of this life-saving initiative," he said, adding that the U.S. urges Moscow to stop thwarting global food shipments.

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 lift restrictions on Russian food and fertilizer exports.