EU chief condemns Russia’s withdrawal from “grain deal”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted "strongly" condemning Russia's move to withdraw from the Black Sea grain deal despite efforts from the UN and Turkey.

Про це вона повідомила у Твіттері.

EU is working to ensure food security for the world's vulnerable. #EUSolidarityLanes will continue bringing agrifood products out of Ukraine & to global markets, she added. 

President of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, plans to discuss the extension of the so-called "grain deal" with Russia's Putin.

The day before, the last vessel under the UN-brokered agreement that allows for the safe export of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea left the port of Odesa on the morning of Sunday, July 16.

The Black Sea Grain Agreement was signed in July 2022. Putin has repeatedly threatened not to extend the agreement, demanding the lifting of sanctions and obstacles to Russian exports.

Moscow's main demand was to restore Rosselkhozbank's access to the SWIFT interbank network, from which the EU expelled Russia in June 2022 for the invasion of Ukraine.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sent a letter to Putin in which he proposed to extend the agreement for several months to give the EU time to connect the Russian bank to SWIFT.

The cost of wheat rose 3% to $6.80 a bushel following the Russian government's announcement that it is terminating the Black Sea grain deal with Ukraine.