Russia Cites Western Sanctions as Key Factor in UN Food Agreement Breakdown

On Saturday, Russia announced that its arrangement with the United Nations to support the export of Russian food products and fertilizers has fallen through due to Western sanctions related to Moscow’s military actions in Ukraine.

The previous day, the UN had indicated that the three-year pact, established in 2022 to stabilize global food prices, would terminate on July 22.

An anonymous source familiar with the negotiations informed AFP that the agreement «will not be renewed» owing to ongoing disagreements.

The UN and Russia initiated the agreement on July 22, 2022, to promote the export of Russian agricultural goods and fertilizers despite sanctions imposed by Western nations.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry stated on Saturday that extending the agreement was not in the plans.

«In light of the destructive actions from Western governments aimed at escalating illegal unilateral sanctions against Russia, none of the goals of the agreement were achieved,» the ministry remarked in its announcement.

Economic sanctions targeting Russia have excluded fertilizers and grain; however, the fear of inadvertently violating laws has hindered transport activities and resulted in soaring insurance costs.

Following prolonged negotiations, Russia and the UN created a framework to facilitate insurance and financial transactions that aligned with U.S., UK, and EU sanctions regulations.

Nonetheless, Russia, being the world’s largest fertilizer producer, has consistently voiced concerns that the agreement offered minimal protection against the repercussions of secondary sanctions.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also mentioned on Saturday that discussions could persist between the two parties in the interest of «global food security.»

Additionally, a second agreement was signed under the UN’s auspices on July 22, 2022, which was intended to allow the export of Ukrainian grain that had been obstructed by Russia’s military actions in the region.

While that agreement was perceived as more effective, Moscow refused to renew it after its expiration in July 2023, citing frustrations over ongoing barriers to the trade of Russian agricultural products.