The grain deal: Kremlin decides Russian sovereignty issue

The West is putting pressure on the Kremlin to extend the grain deal. The solution of the issue will show whether Russia stands as a sovereign state.

It was reported that UN Secretary General António Guterres handed over a letter to Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in which he asked President Vladimir Putin to extend the grain deal (grain export from Ukraine through the ports of Odessa) after May 14.

The grain deal has been extended three times already. It was concluded with the support of the UN leadership allegedly to stop hunger issues in Africa and Asia.

Russia last extended guarantees for the humanitarian corridor only for 60 days. Requirements for a further extension are as follows:

• waiver of sanctions against Rosselkhozbank (Russian Agricultural Bank) with its connection to SWIFT,
• resumption of deliveries of farming machinery to the Russian Federation,
• unblocking foreign assets of Russian companies related to the production and transportation of food and fertilizers,
• pipeline transportation of Russian ammonia through the corridor.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, "there is still no certain progress in the implementation of the memorandum between Russia and the UN."

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, who is currently visiting New York as chairman of the UN Security Council, refused to answer questions about whether the deal would be extended.

Political scientist Marat Bashirov said on Telegram that the Russian Federation extended the grain deal with Ukraine only because of the re-election of Turkish President Recep Erdogan (May 14), respecting his partner qualities.

"Other motives are false, especially against the backdrop of the imminent "counteroffensive", terrorist attacks against Russians, fascists and mercenaries from all over the world who fight in Ukraine on NATO money. Maybe these obscure games for our soldiers and citizens are enough? This ambiguity and obscureness begins to destroy us from within," Bashirov wrote.

Authors of "Image of the Future" Telegram channel agree with such an assessment. However, they believe that the grain deal will soon be extended until September 1. It is representatives of the "Peace Party" from the Ministry of Defense and the Presidential Administration who lobby the deal.

"The gesture of goodwill will give representatives of elite groups and their children an opportunity to relax this summer before imminent storms of December 2023 and March 2024," the authors write.

At the same time, the same channel said that the grain corridor ensured underwater deliveries of drones from Norway and the UK on the eve of the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The statement from the Russian the Ministry of Defence, which commented on the terrorist attack in Sevastopol, Crimea, with the use of surface drones on March 23.

"The analysis of the movement of Ukrainian unmanned boats showed that they were all launched from the water area of the port of Odessa. Their deployment was carried out in the area of the humanitarian corridor, which was also involved in the export of agricultural products from the ports of Ukraine," the department said.

"The terrorist attacks conducted by the Kyiv regime jeopardise the next extension of the grain deal after May 18," the Defense Ministry added.

Ukrainian Telegram channel "Zerada" said that the Russians would most likely withdraw their letter of security guarantees for commercial ships after Sevastopol attacks. Insurance companies will then refuse to insure the goods, and the EU will close the land corridor that was used to export 1/8 of the grain."

Grain will have to be stored, and the Kyiv regime and Western transnational corporations will lose a fairly large source of income.

It appears that Russia needs to close the deal as it undermines the sovereignty of the Russian Federation.