Thursday, March 23, 2023
Home EP Kremlin wants to relax Russian fertilizer boycott

Kremlin wants to relax Russian fertilizer boycott

The Agriculture Committee of the European Parliament believes that the Black Sea agreement for the export of Ukrainian grain should be extended for four months, and not for two, as Russia now wants.

The current 120-day agreement between Russia, Ukraine, the United Nations and Turkey expires at the end of this week, and it was agreed at the end of last year that those agreements could be extended.

Chairman Norbert Lins and the delegation leaders in the agriculture committee believe that the agreements should be extended by more than 60 days 'to secure the global food supply'. Russia's war against Ukraine led to a blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea ports early last year and significant price increases for grains and fertilizers. 

With the mediation of the UN and Turkey, a grain agreement was concluded in the summer of 2022, which, among other things, provided for the release of Ukrainian ports for grain export. The initiative, originally agreed for 120 days, was extended for a further 120 days in the autumn.

According to the UN, some 24 million tons of grain in more than 1,600 shiploads have been shipped through Black Sea ports since the implementation of the grain agreement.

According to several international news agencies, busy diplomatic talks are taking place behind the scenes, including UN chief Antonio Gúterres urging Moscow to keep Ukraine's grain exports by sea afloat.

The Kremlin believes that international sanctions against the country should be relaxed, especially those that hinder the export of Russian fertilizer raw materials.

Food and fertilizer are not formally covered by the boycott rules and export restrictions, but the tightened rules for international payments prevent or hinder orders from Russian companies. Moscow believes that the UN should do something about it.

Popular

The Netherlands cannot simply send asylum seekers back to Greek camps

The Netherlands may only send rejected asylum seekers back to Greece if it is clear in advance that they can obtain legal assistance from a lawyer ...

IMF and ECB warn of declining economic growth

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) believes that the euro countries should take precautionary measures in case economic growth starts to stagnate. That...

Oleg Sentsov criticizes Russia, praises Europe and praises Ukraine

Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov has received the most important human rights prize in the European Union in Strasbourg after his recent ...

Turkey and Russia divide the loot in Libya: EU and US further offside

The European Union calls on the warring parties in Libya to immediately stop hostilities and strictly follow the UN arms embargo ...

Merkel's coalition continues to be under pressure due to the struggle for a CDU party race

The president of the CDU department in the German state of Thuringia, Mike Mohring, also resigns that board position. Earlier Mohring already ...

Just in

EU Agriculture Council will not block Mercosur treaty

The agriculture ministers of the EU countries have indicated that they will not block the ratification of the trade agreement with the South American Mercosur countries. Well...

EU crisis fund limited open to damage from Ukraine support

The European Commission has proposed a limited opening of the agricultural crisis fund of 450 million euros to farmers affected by...

Borealis fertilizer not to Russians, but to Czech Agrofert

The European Commission has cleared the acquisition of the Austrian fertilizer factory Borealis by the Czech Agrofert group, which is part of...

Three-country train from Liège to Aachen via Limburg, without changing trains

The Netherlands, Germany and Belgium have signed a letter of intent to run the three-country train this year. About a borderless train service...

Ill due to pesticides: EFSA investigates effects of combinations

Dutch farmers may be more at risk of cancer, Parkinson's disease, reduced fertility and other health problems due to exposure to 'a cocktail...