Russian MFA Emphasizes Need for EU to Lift Sanctions Impeding Agricultural Exports

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Grushko calls Europe to fully implement its Istanbul obligations

© Sergey Bobylev/TASS

MOSCOW, December 17. /TASS/. The European Union should legally lift all of its sanctions impeding Russia’s agricultural exports, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Grushko told TASS on Saturday.

"We continue to believe that the EU should fully implement its obligations enshrined in the Istanbul memorandum regarding the lifting of all restrictions on food and grain exports in order to strengthen global food security," he pointed out.

"Achieving the goal requires the legal lifting of all the imposed sanctions that impede the delivery of grain and fertilizers, as well as of commodities necessary for their production, instead of providing clarifications and recommendations or leaving the decision to the discretion of member states," Grushko added.

According to him, the EU needs to lift both direct and indirect sanctions to ensure the unimpeded export of agricultural goods. "This includes transportation services, the possibility for Russian ships to enter foreign ports, insurance issues, transaction restrictions on Russian agricultural companies, legal entities and individuals, as well as the need to lift sanctions on the Russian Agricultural Bank and reconnect it to the SWIFT system," the Russian deputy foreign minister emphasized. "If the EU is really interested in strengthening global security, it should remove import sanctions on Russia targeting agricultural machines and spare parts for tractors and harvesters," he said.