Without Russia’s consent, a critical agreement authorising the sale of grain from Ukraine is likely to expire on Monday.
According to Reuters, the last ship to travel as part of the Black Sea Agreement departed the port of Odesa early on Sunday.
On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin informed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa over the phone that the deal had not achieved its goals.
According to a Kremlin readout of the conversation, “[Putin] stressed that the obligations set out in the pertinent Russia-UN memorandum to remove barriers to the export of Russian food and fertilisers still remain unfulfilled.”
“Moreover, the main goal of the deal, namely the supply of grain to countries in need, including those on the African continent, has not been realized,” it said.
Putin has previously complained about restrictions over its own exports but has agreed to previous extensions.
The deal, which was first brokered by Turkey and the United Nations following the outbreak of Russia’s war on Ukraine in July 2022, creates procedures to ensure the safe export of grain from Ukrainian ports.
Under the deal, grain ships are able to navigate through a safe corridor in the Black Sea under the direction of Ukrainian pilots, and then pass through the Bosphorus Strait – an important shipping corridor in north-west Turkey – in order to reach global markets.
It has proven vital for stabilizing global food prices and bringing relief to the developing countries who rely on Ukrainian exports.
The deal’s survival continues to rest in Russia’s hands, and Moscow has repeatedly threatened to quit the pact.
Prior to its third renewal in May, the Kremlin had remained elusive as to whether it would remain in the deal, before agreeing to a last-minute extension.
Russia also suspended its participation for a few days in late October and early November 2022, citing drone attacks on the city of Sevastopol in occupied Crimea.
Moscow later announced that it would reverse course and rejoin the agreement for a further 120 days, following mediation.