NEW YORK: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told Reuters NEXT on Wednesday (Nov 8) that it will be difficult to revive a landmark deal that allowed the safe Black Sea export of Ukraine grain, which Russia quit in July over complaints about its own exports.
“It will be difficult. We are going on with our efforts. But it will be difficult,” Guterres said.
Guterres said the goal would be to have Russia and Ukraine agree to allow freedom of navigation for each other, but admitted this was unlikely. Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine last year.
The United Nations has blamed Russia’s invasion for worsening a global food crisis. Ukraine and Russia are both major grain exporters. Russia also is a big supplier of fertilizer to the world.