The grain agreement has been extended again, but Russia remains unhappy with restrictions on its food and fertilizer exports

In March, Russia already caused a stir when it decided to unilaterally extend the agreement for 60 days instead of the 120 days, as agreed in the original text. So far it has only been extended for 60 days.

It was not immediately clear why Russia agreed to the extension and to what extent it had received guarantees for its food and fertilizer exports. Nor did the Turkish president respond. He said work would continue to “ensure that all conditions of the agreement are met so that it can continue”. Erdogan thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for their support and contribution.

According to a spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, the agreement was extended “to help countries in need.” But she added that Russia still views the situation on the deal the same way. This ruling, and the fact that the agreement was only extended again by 60 days, suggests that Russia has received few or no strict guarantees for smoother exports of its food and dung.

The Ukrainian government welcomes the extension of the agreement, but calls for longer extensions and more efficient implementation of the agreement. The United States and the United Nations are also responding positively. The US government hopes for a “more sustainable” solution. According to the United Nations, nearly 30 million tons of grain have been transported from Ukrainian ports since the agreement began.