MOSCOW, July 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Vladimir Putin said nothing was done to meet Russian demands around the grain deal that expires on July 18 and that Russia is still hesitating to extend.
“I want to emphasise that nothing was done, nothing at all. It’s all one-sided,” Putin said in a televised interview, adding that “We will think about what to do, we have a few more days.”
In July 2022, the agreement allowing Ukrainian grain exports to restart was signed, as well as a arallel memorandum on unhindered Russian food and fertiliser exports.
The grain deal is due to expire on July 18 unless Russia agrees to extend it.
Moscow however has repeatedly threatened to pull out of it because of enduring obstacles to its own exports.
“We will think about what to do, we have a few more days,” he said.
“We will extend… when promises given to us are fulfilled,” Putin said.
The Russian leader added he was ready to wait “as long as it takes”.
On Wednesday Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — who helped broker the deal — said he was working with Moscow and Kyiv to salvage the agreement.
It has so far allowed Ukraine to export more than 32 million tonnes of grain and foodstuffs from Black Sea ports.
Ukrainian officials said that Russian attack drones had targeted grain facilities at one of the ports this week. — NNN-AGENCIES
