Russia FM issues warning on Ukraine grain deal

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized on Friday that the grain deal has failed to remove obstacles that have hampered supplies of Russian grain and fertilizers. In a news conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara, Lavrov said that if the grain deal isn’t extended, Russia could cooperate directly with Türkiye and Qatar to ensure continuing exports to the countries that need grain.

The 120-day agreement was renewed last November, and Russia agreed to extend it again when it expired last March, noting that it has only accepted a 60-day extension.Still, overall Russian wheat shipments were at or near record highs in November, December and January, increasing 24% over the same three months a year earlier, according to financial data provider Refinitiv.