Dep FM-Grain Deal Could End If Obstacles To Russian Agri Exports Remain

Russian state-run Interfax carrying comments from Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko stating that the grain deal reached last week could collapse if obstacles to Russian agricultural products are not promptly removed.

• Rudenko states that 'hopefully the collapse of the grain deal does not happen' and that grain shipments from Ukraine should 'start soon'.
• A deal was reached last week involving Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the UN to allow grain exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports to ease global food supply crunches.
• There remains major scepticism from western states and Ukraine as to the viability of the grain deal. Only days after the deal was reached, Russia launched a missile strike on the port of Odessa. Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar stated that "The fact that an incident like this happened after the agreement we made yesterday... really makes us concerned,".