Russia: West must remove obstacles to its grain exports

By SUZAN FRASER and VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
Associated Press

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Russia’s top diplomat says Moscow may pull out of a wartime deal that allows the export of Ukrainian grain to global markets if the West fails to remove obstacles to Russian agricultural exports. The deal was brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in July. It unblocked shipments stuck in Ukraine’s blockaded ports, alleviating rising food prices and threat of hunger in some countries. Moscow has repeatedly complained that a separate agreement intended to facilitate the export of Russian fertilizers and grain hasn’t worked due to Western sanctions. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday that Russia agreed last month to extend the deal for only 60 days to send a warning  to the West.