Russia announces return to deal on Ukrainian grain exports after demanding guarantees from Ukraine on non-military use of grain corridor

Russia says it will resume its participation in a deal that facilitates agricultural exports from Ukraine.

The Russian defense ministry made the announcement on Wednesday. The ministry said that thanks to the involvement of the United Nations and Turkey, it had obtained written guarantees from Ukraine not to use the Black Sea grain corridor for military operations against Russia.

The corridor, a maritime humanitarian route, was set up under the deal for safe exports. The deal was brokered by the UN and Turkey and was signed between Ukraine and Russia in July.

But Russia said on Saturday that it has indefinitely suspended its participation in the deal, insisting that its Black Sea Fleet was attacked by Ukrainian drones.

Russia sought guarantees from Ukraine that the corridor will not be used for military purposes.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought a guarantee from Ukraine that “the grain corridor” will not be used for military purposes to consider resuming a deal that facilitated agricultural exports from the country.

Russia announced on Saturday that it has indefinitely suspended its participation in the deal, which was signed between Ukraine and Russia in July. Brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, it allowed shipments from the Black Sea ports of Ukraine to resume amid continued fighting in Ukraine.

Speaking in a video released on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy referred to “the grain corridor,” a maritime humanitarian route set up under the deal for safe exports. He said the corridor needs reliable and long-term protection, noting that the stable supply of food to the world has to be maintained. He said, “This is literally a matter of life for tens of millions of people.”

Ukraine, the UN, and Turkey are working to realize food shipments from Ukraine without Russia’s participation. On Tuesday, cargo ships loaded with agricultural products reportedly left southern Ukraine. Arrangements are also underway for shipments on Thursday.

Meanwhile, in a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday, Putin reportedly said Ukraine used the grain corridor to attack Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

Putin also reportedly said a resumption might be considered only after it received guarantees from Kyiv on the non-use of the corridor for military purposes.

He is also said to have sought the lifting of sanctions on Russian exports of agricultural products and fertilizers and reiterated that agricultural exports from Ukraine have not been delivered to the developing countries that need them most.

Observers say Putin apparently aims to keep in check Ukraine and Western countries that continue their military support to Ukraine, by using agricultural exports amid growing concerns over a global food crisis.