Inspections of vessels operating under the Black Sea "grain agreement" with Ukraine resumed after the Russians blocked inspections for a day.
The Guardian reports that according to the representative of the UN Black Sea Grain Initiative Ismini Pall the inspections were back in operation on Wednesday, April 12. The day before, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, and the UN agreed on a list of vessels to be inspected.
On Tuesday, April 11, the commission was unable to conduct inspections because the Russians crossed out the agreed names and entered others from the queue of 50 vessels. Such actions actually mean a blockade.
- On July 22, 2022, Russia signed an agreement on unblocking the export of Ukrainian grain from the ports of Odesa, Pivdennyi, and Chornomorsk. Russia and Ukraine signed the agreement separately — each with the UN and Turkey. There are no signatures of Ukraine and Russia on the same document. At the beginning of August, the first caravan of ships left the ports of Odessa. On November 17, 2022, the agreement was officially extended for another four months.
- Delays of vessels with Ukrainian grain due to Russiaʼs actions have occurred before. In February, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine noted that Russian inspectors in Istanbul systematically and deliberately slow down the process of inspecting ships, which leads to significant delays in deliveries. Meanwhile, the Russians freely use their Black Sea ports and increase the volume of transportation.
- On March 13, after negotiations with UN representatives, the Russian side agreed to extend the "grain agreement", but only for 60 days. However, Russiaʼs future position will depend on "progress in the export of Russian agricultural products." The Russian Federation wants the West to ease sanctions on Russian food and fertilizers. But in Ukraine, they said that Russiaʼs position to extend the "grain agreement" for 60 days contradicts this agreement, because it can be extended for at least 120 days.