Russia's decision halts Ukraine grain deal

Russia halted an unprecedented wartime deal on Monday that allows grain to flow from Ukraine to countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where hunger is a growing threat and high food prices have pushed more people into poverty. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced Russia would suspend the Black Sea Grain Initiative until its demands to get its own agricultural shipments to the world are met — even though the country has been shipping record amounts of wheat and its fertilizers also have been flowing. “When the part of the Black Sea deal related to Russia is implemented, Russia will immediately return to the implementation of the deal,” Peskov said. Russia has complained that restrictions on shipping and insurance have hampered its exports of food and fertilizer — also critical to the global food chain. It’s the end of a breakthrough accord that the United Nations and Turkey brokered last summer to allow food to leave the Black Sea region after Russia invaded its neighbour nearly a year and a half ago. The deal provided assurances that ships won’t be attacked entering and leaving Ukrainian ports. A separate agreement facilitated the movement of Russian food and fertilizer amid Western sanctions. In April footage from the southern Ukrainian port of Izmail showed grain being taken by barge down a branch of the Danube river through Romania to the Black Sea port of Constanta for shipment onward. The warring nations are both major global suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil and other affordable food products that developing nations rely on. #russia #ukraine #grain #blacksea The New York Post is your source for breaking news, news about New York, sports, business, entertainment, opinion, real estate, culture, fashion, and more. Subscribe to New York Post Sports: https://www.youtube.com/c/nypostsports Catch the latest news here: https://nypost.com/ Follow The New York Post on: Twitter - https://twitter.com/nypost Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/NYPost