Russia pulls out of Black Sea Grain Initiative

Russia has withdrawn from the UN- and Turkey-brokered deal that allowed Ukraine to export grain across the Black Sea, the Kremlin has said. Speaking on 17 July, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the Black Sea Grain Initiative had expired and Moscow would not agree to extend it and would no longer cooperate with its terms. “The Black Sea arrangements have ceased to be in force today,” Peskov explained. “Unfortunately, the part concerning Russia in this Black Sea agreement has not been fulfilled. Therefore, it is being terminated.” The deal, brokered in Istan...