Nebenzia Says Guterres and His Team Have No Leverage to Resolve Grain Deal

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres and his team have no leverage to address systemic issues related to the implementation of the Russian part of the food agreement. This was stated by Vasily Nebenzia, Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, in an interview with RIA Novosti.

“Unfortunately, we have to state, and UN representatives have repeatedly admitted publicly that the Secretary-General and his team have no leverage to solve systemic problems, although they are indeed making efforts,” Nebenzia said.

At the same time, according to him, the Russian side is not sitting idly by and continues to provide real assistance to less developed countries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

“The President of the Russian Federation elaborates on those efforts in his speeches. He has already specified the conditions regarding Russia's return to the 'Black Sea Initiative.' We have also detailed them here. And this is not blackmail, as the West tries to portray, but a demand to fulfill what was promised to us a year ago,” emphasized the Russian diplomat.

On July 17, Russia informed Turkey, Ukraine, and the UN that it is opposed to the extension of the grain deal. This means that Russia is withdrawing security guarantees for navigation and closing the humanitarian corridor in the northwestern waters of the Black Sea. Thus, without Russia's involvement, the Black Sea grain initiative ceased to operate from July 18.

It is worth recalling that the Black Sea grain initiative, which was signed on July 22, 2022, by representatives of Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the UN, was meant to facilitate the export of Ukrainian grain, food, and fertilizers from three ports in the Black Sea, including Odesa. A joint coordination center based in Istanbul managed the movement of vessels.