‘We Can’t Take Zelensky’s Word’ – Russia Demands Guarantees Before Grain Deal

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has stated that the possibility of restoring the Black Sea Grain Initiative was discussed during Monday’s Russian-US talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Speaking to Russia’s Channel One, he said Moscow requires “clear guarantees” before agreeing to revive the deal.

“Given the unfortunate experience of agreements with Kyiv, guarantees can only come as a direct order from Washington to Zelensky and his team. And I believe our American partners have received this message,” Russian media said, citing Lavrov.

He also claimed that the US understands that “only Washington can ensure positive results in stopping the shelling of civilian and energy infrastructure not linked to the military-industrial complex.”

Lavrov dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s credibility, saying, “Our position is simple: we cannot take this man at his word.”

Despite this, he maintained that Moscow supports reviving the Black Sea Grain Initiative, insisting that Russia wants “a predictable grain and fertilizer market.”

Monday’s Russian-US talks in Riyadh reportedly lasted around 12 hours. The Kremlin later described them as “detailed negotiations” and stated that their content “will definitely not be made public.”

The Black Sea Grain Initiative, which operated from July 2022 to July 2023, was an agreement brokered by the UN and Turkey that allowed Ukraine to export grain safely. However, Russia withdrew from the deal in July 2023.

That same month, as Moscow dismantled the agreement, it ramped up attacks on Ukraine’s civilian port infrastructure.

Before the deal collapsed, it had facilitated the export of nearly 33 million tons of grain and other food products during the year, according to AFP.

In response to Russia’s decision, Ukraine developed a “humanitarian corridor” in the Black Sea to bypass Russia’s blockade a month later.