Putin hints at suspending grain deal

MOSCOW

Russia may suspend its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative and return when the part of the deal concerning its interest is implemented, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

There is some time to think about what to do next, Putin told Russia’s Rossiya 24 TV channel.

The president noted that so far, nothing had been implemented from the Russian part of the deal, calling the situation a "one-way game."

The agreement, initially signed in July of last year in Istanbul by Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine, aimed to resume grain exports from Ukrainian ports. These exports had been halted due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine that began in February.

On May 18, the deal was extended for an additional 60 days, ensuring the continuation of grain exports under the agreement.

"We can suspend our participation in this deal. And if everyone once again says that all the promises given to us will be fulfilled — well, let them fulfill these promises. And we will immediately join this deal. Again," he said.

Russia is ready to wait "as long as it takes" for its part of the agreement to be fulfilled, but would no longer be satisfied with "extension first, fulfillment of promises later" option, Putin added.

"First, the fulfillment of promises, and then our participation," he asserted.

The Russian leader also added that the UN was sincerely trying to get Western countries to start fulfilling the terms of the grain deal.

He said that he did not yet see a letter sent to him by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on extending the deal.

Putin dismissed claims that Russia would be responsible for triggering a food crisis, accusing "rich" countries of emptying world food markets during the pandemic as they feared shortage.

As for Ukraine's membership in NATO, Putin said it poses threats to Russia's security.

“Strictly speaking, the reason for the special military operation, one of the reasons is the threat of Ukraine's accession to NATO. I am sure that this will not increase the security of Ukraine itself. And in general, it will make the world much more vulnerable and lead to additional tension in the international arena," Putin said.

"Therefore, I don't see anything good in this,” he added.

Putin said any country had the right to ensure its security and choose the way to achieve this goal, as long as it did not to create threats to another country.

"In the draft agreement between Russia and Ukraine, which was prepared in Istanbul and which was then thrown into the trash by the Ukrainian regime, the issues of ensuring Ukraine's security were set out in great detail," he said.

Putin noted that Moscow still considered a March 2022 document signed in Istanbul between Russian and Ukrainian representatives as an "acceptable" draft for a future peace treaty.

He also said that deliveries of long-range weapons to Ukraine "will only make the situation worse."

"I can say that Ukrainian servicemen often refuse to even get into these (Western) tanks, because they are a priority target for our guys, they are destroyed first of all on the battlefield," he said.