The U.S., the U.K. and the European Union called for the extension of the Ukraine grain deal mediated by Türkiye and the United Nations to facilitate the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea.
"We call on the parties to the Initiative to extend its term and scale up its operations to meet the evident demand. And we reiterate our support for other efforts by the United Nations to facilitate access to food and fertiliser in global markets," said a joint statement issued by U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
The statement said that Western sanctions target Russia’s "war machine" and not the food or fertilizer sectors. "To that end, we have provided clarity to industry and partners," it added.
It said this includes the U.K.’s publication of a General License, the U.S. General License 6B as well as updated and detailed EU guidance.
"These provisions make clear that banks, insurers, shippers, and other actors can continue to bring Russian food and fertiliser to the world," the statement said.
"We call on our global partners, industries and services involved in agricultural trade, to take note of these provisions; to act in accordance with them; to bring Ukrainian and Russian food and fertiliser to meet acute demand," it added.
Türkiye, the U.N., Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul on July 22 to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which were paused after the Russia-Ukraine war began in February.
A Joint Coordination Center with officials from the three countries and the U.N. has been set up in Istanbul to oversee the shipments.
Earlier this month, Russia announced it had agreed to return to the deal, just four days after suspending its role in the pact in a move that had threatened to exacerbate hunger across the world.
The pact is due to expire on Nov. 19 and a European diplomat briefed on the grain talks had told Reuters that Putin was likely to use the possible extension as a way to gain leverage and dominate next month’s G-20 summit in Indonesia.