A senior United Nations (UN) official had “constructive discussions” in Moscow with Russia’s first deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov on facilitating Russian grain and fertilizer exports to global markets. That came on the heels of Russian President Vladimir Putin saying his country was willing to work with Turkey to facilitate Ukrainian grain shipments.
UN officials are in Washington for further talks on normalizing grain and fertilizer exports from the Black Sea. U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Washington is prepared to give “comfort letters” to shipping and insurance companies to help facilitate exports of Russian grain and fertilizer. She noted Russian grain and fertilizer exports were not directly sanctioned by the U.S. but that “companies are a little nervous and we’re prepared to give them comfort letters if that will help to encourage them.”
