Ukraine is seeking to extend the Black Sea grain initiative for a longer period and expand it, a top Ukrainian official said Thursday after the latest talks on prolonging the agreement.
The talks in Istanbul involved Turkish, Russian, Ukrainian and United Nations officials but yielded no decision on an extension of the pact that allowed for grain to be shipped to nations in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, where hunger is a growing threat.
The deal is due to expire next Wednesday.
Additional discussions are expected in an online format, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said.
In a statement released after the talks, he said that the grain deal "should be extended for a longer period of time, and expanded.”
"This will add predictability and confidence to both global and Ukrainian markets,” Kubrakov said. Previous extensions lasted 120 days and 60 days.
However, Russia opposes both the expansion as well as an "indefinite" expansion, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin after the talks.
Moscow is considering proposals made by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and "the work, the contacts continue," Vershinin said.
If there is no consensus by May 18, the deal "will cease to exist,” the Russian diplomat said.
Ukraine and Russia are both major global suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil and other affordable food products that developing nations depend on.
In July 2022, Moscow and Kyiv signed an agreement with the United Nations and Türkiye that outlined a process for shipments from three of Ukraine's Black Sea ports to resume amid Russia's invasion of its neighbor.
It has since been renewed twice, most recently in March. According to the U.N., the agreement establishing a safe shipping corridor from the Ukrainian ports to Türkiye has allowed over 30 million metric tons of grain and food items to exit the country.
Russia has repeatedly complained that a separate agreement with the U.N. to overcome obstacles to shipments of its fertilizers that was part of the July package has not yielded results.
According to a U.N. statement, proposals discussed at the Thursday meeting included "the resumption of the Togliatti-Odesa ammonia pipeline, a longer extension of the deal, improvements at the Joint Coordination Centre for stable operations and exports.”
Vershinin reiterated on Thursday that Moscow "first and foremost” is defending "Russia's national interests, its agriculture producers, producers of fertilizers.”
"An initiative that brings unilateral benefits can hardly be recognized and accepted by all,” he said.
The Turkish Defense Ministry said, in a statement after the talks, that the sides displayed "constructive approaches.”
