Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Grushko of Russia said that the agreement had been extended for another 60 days, provided that all promises made by the partners to lift sanctions on agricultural products going to Russia are fulfilled. According to him, the process of removing the limitations on the export of agricultural products from Russia is still ongoing but progressing slowly.
The Ministry of Defence said they evaluated the steps the parties took to extend the grain deal and that negotiations and coordination were still ongoing.
Alexei Zubets, Director of the Socio-Economic Research Institute of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, said, “The main beneficiaries of the grain agreement are the Turks. Russia wants this deal, as the Turks are one of the key economic partners today. This agreement is in the interest of the Turkish business community. Türkiye is the world champion in wheat exports. Cheap grain is needed for the operation of this sector. If we evaluate it in the context of Russia's interests, this is more disadvantageous than profitable for Russia because, due to the grain agreement, grain prices in the world market have halved compared to mid-2022 prices. For this reason, Russian farmers cannot currently export at the price that would have been possible had the agreement not been reached. But political interests, particularly the upcoming elections in Türkiye, dictate the need to provide Türkiye with cheap grain.”