Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday that extending a deal that allowed the resumption of grain exports from Ukraine was becoming "complicated" as it was not being properly implemented.
Lavrov said clauses in the agreement that provide for Russian grain and fertilizer exports were not being upheld, adding: "If the package is half fulfilled, then extension becomes quite complicated."
The 120-day deal, initially brokered by the U.N. and Türkiye in July and extended in November, will be renewed on March 18 if no party objects. However, Russia earlier communicated that obstacles to its agricultural exports must be removed before it greenlights Ukraine's Black Sea grain deal.
To help convince Russia to allow Ukraine to resume Black Sea grain exports in July last year, a three-year deal was also struck in which the U.N. agreed to help facilitate Russian food and fertilizer exports.
Ukraine and Russia are both major global suppliers of grains and fertilizers.
Western powers hit Russia with tough sanctions over its invasion of neighboring Ukraine more than a year ago. While Russia's food and fertilizer exports are not subject to sanctions, Moscow says restrictions on its payments, logistics and insurance industries are a "barrier" to such shipments.
Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said last week that Ankara was working hard to extend the initiative, while Russia has signaled it is unhappy with some aspects of the deal.
