Blinken Says Russia Is Weaponising Food, Grain Deal Hangs In Balance

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has accused Russia of "using food as a weapon," by threatening to terminate the Black Sea grain initiative. In comments to press at the US-ASEAN summit in Jakarta, Blinken said that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said nothing at the ASEAN summit which, "suggested any change of direction on Ukraine."

• Blinken: "Russia once again using food as weapon in threatening to end Black Sea grain initiative... everyone's expectation that Russia extend and expand grain initiative."
• The Black Sea deal is set to expire on Monday with the UN and Turkey reporting they open to exploring "all solutions" to extend the deal.
• Reuters: "U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres proposed in a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday that Moscow allow the Black Sea grain deal to continue for several months to give the EU time to connect a Rosselkhozbank subsidiary to SWIFT."
• Politicoreports that, with markets pricing in a collapse of the deal, Ukriane is preparing a "plan B" which could include a state-backed insurance scheme for ships or an alternate export hub based in Romania.