Russia agrees to grain export deal with Ukraine

Russia on Wednesday rejoined a deal to allow Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea, but President Vladimir Putin warned Moscow could again pull out of the agreement.

The revival of an arrangement aimed at easing fears of global food insecurity came as Washington said it was "increasingly concerned" Russia could use nuclear weapons in its campaign in Ukraine.

Moscow had said on Saturday that it was temporarily pulling out of the grain deal, accusing Ukraine of using a safe shipping corridor established under the agreement to launch a drone assault on its Black Sea fleet.

Russia's defence ministry said it had now received sufficient guarantees from Kyiv that it would not use the maritime corridor to carry out attacks.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed Russia's decision to resume participation in the agreement, which was brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in July and allows for joint inspections of ships.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Twitter that he had thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his role in preserving the grain deal. The Ukrainian leader later hailed its resumption as "a significant diplomatic result for our country and the whole world".

“We know that Russia over the weekend had withdrawn from the agreement … but after intensive talks between Ankara, Moscow, Kyiv and, of course, the involvement of the United Nations as well, it seems that the deal is once again alive and working,” Serdar said.

The deal, overseen by the Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul, has allowed more than 9.7 million metric tonnes of grain and other foodstuffs to leave Ukrainian ports.

This has brought much-needed relief to a global food crisis triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a key grain exporter.

Under the terms of the deal, which was agreed on in July, ships moving to and from Ukraine are inspected by a joint team of Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian and UN officials.

Cargo loaded with grain kept sailing on Monday and Tuesday, but the UN said any deliveries after Russia announced its suspension were “a temporary and extraordinary measure”.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had said on Monday that it was “dangerous” to continue exports without Russia’s participation.

The Russian defence ministry on Wednesday said it obtained written guarantees from Kyiv “thanks to the participation” of the UN and “assistance” from Turkey.

It said Kyiv guaranteed “the non-use of the humanitarian corridor and Ukrainian ports determined in the interests of the export of agricultural products for conducting military operations against the Russian Federation”.

(Agencies)