G20 leaders called for full implementation of the grain deal to ensure unhindered supplies of food and fertilizer from Russia and Ukraine, according to the closing statement from the group's summit in New Delhi.
"We appreciate the efforts of Turkey and the UN-brokered Istanbul Agreements, consisting of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Russian Federation and the UN Secretariat on the Promotion of Russian Food Products and Fertilizers on World Markets and the Initiative for the Safe Transportation of Grain and Food from Ukrainian Ports ( Black Sea Initiative) and call for their full, timely and effective implementation to ensure immediate and unhindered supplies of grain, foodstuffs and fertilizers/inputs from the Russian Federation and Ukraine," the document said.
Implementation of the deal "is necessary to meet the demand in developing and least developed countries, especially those in Africa," the G20 leaders noted.
But the latest proposals made by Europe do not satisfy the Russian side. After the end of the G20 meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a press conference: "After reading the content of this proposal, it seems that again, unfortunately, they are trying to use the Secretary General to promote unilateral approaches, because the whole point of the document is that "let's urgently renew the Ukrainian grain deal and for that within a month we will do something to connect someone with SWIFT, within two or three months we will try to somehow negotiate with the insurance company Lloyd's and such as".
At the same time, problems with Ukrainian grain for countries close to the conflict continue. And while Volodymyr Zelensky declared categorically against extending the restrictions, Poland expressed its categorical position - "the country will not allow the import of grain from Ukraine after September 15, as the interest of Polish farmers is more important to the government than all the rules of the European Union (EU) in this respect'.
"We know what can happen if grain from Ukraine reaches Poland after September 15. Especially since the price of grain is currently low and warehouses are already full. We know this is in our interest and we will protect it." , said Robert Tellus, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in Poland.
Without wasting time, the Polish government is already preparing a bill that will prohibit traders and processors from buying agricultural produce below its cost price.
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