Problem of Russian ammonia exports must be settled to extend grain deal - Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. June 1 (Interfax) - The resolution of the Russian ammonia export problem is part of the agreements under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, and there are no reasons to set new terms for relaunching the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said.

"Our position remains unchanged: ammonia export is part of the existing agreements and was supposed to begin simultaneously with the transportation of Ukrainian grain. This fully complies with the goals of ensuring global food security declared by [United Nations Secretary-General] Antonio Guterres, and there is no room for any additional requirements," Vershinin said in a commentary on the Foreign Ministry's website.

Kiev is continuing attempts to put forward various preconditions for resuming Russian ammonia exports and "trying literally to wrangle out extra benefits through bargaining," he said.

The UN Secretariat, knowing about Russia's position, "is continuing to gamble on the ammonia theme, trying to create the appearance of some new efforts and contacts," he said.

"The absence of any results is obvious: the ammonia pipeline hasn't operated and is not operating. If this problem is not solved, there can be no talk about extending the Black Sea initiative beyond July 17 in principle, not to mention adding new ports and expanding the range of Ukrainian exports," Vershinin said.

Russia has been unable to export its ammonia for more than a year," which is among the reasons of the shortage (about 70%) of this key raw material," he said.

"Almost a year after the Istanbul package was signed, Russian ammonia exports have still not been normalized, either via Ventspils, or via Yuzhny. On the whole, the problems with bank payments, transport logistics, insurance, frozen assets, and so on, which were prompted by the imposition of anti-Russian sanctions, remain in place and are worsening," Vershinin said.

To extend "the grain deal, the following problems need to be resolved: Rosselkhozbank's reconnection to SWIFT, supplies of spare parts, the unblocking of transport logistics and insurance, and the unfreezing of assets of Russian companies," he said.

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