Summary Future of Black Sea grain deal looks uncertainUkraine's farm minister floats "Plan B"Exports could continue without Russia, he saysOfficial suggests government insurance guaranteesKYIV, June 2 (Reuters) - Ukraine would be ready to continue exporting grain across the Black Sea as part of a "plan B" without Russian backing if Moscow pulls the plug on the current grain export deal and it collapses, Ukraine's farm minister said on Friday.
The United Nations and Turkey brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative between Moscow and Kyiv last July to help tackle a global food crisis aggravated by Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, a leading global grain exporter.
He said in an interview in Kyiv: "That's not how it works and then we will be ready for a plan B, which depends on us, depends on the U.N.
"Plan B... excludes the fourth party (Russia) in this relationship," he said.
He said Ukraine still hoped the current Black Sea grain initiative would work despite the current difficulties while any new option would need a new agreement or format.
Persons:
Russia's, Mykola Solsky, Solsky, Pavel Polityuk, Tom Balmforth, Hugh Lawson
Organizations:
United, Reuters, Ukrainian, Thomson
Locations:
Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, United Nations, Turkey, Pivdennyi, Kyiv, Ukrainian