Guterres urges Russia to return to grain deal

NEW YORK, UN. July 28 (Interfax) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin to discuss the grain deal, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a briefing on Friday.

"Secretary General met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vershinin in Rome on Tuesday morning and, first of all, he has called Russia to rejoin the Black Sea Initiative and also reiterated his commitment to doing whatever he can to facilitate the trade in Russian and Ukrainian food and fertilizer," Dujarric said.

A day earlier, Guterres said he would continue to maintain contact with all parties involved regarding the possibility of restoring the Black Sea grain initiative.

"We will go on with all our contacts, with all parties - Turkey, Ukraine, Russia and other countries that are relevant from the point of view of the global markets in order to reestablish the Black Sea Initiative," Guterres said at a press conference at the UN's headquarters.

He said he is committed to agreements that could be in the interests of Kiev and Moscow.