UN, Russia Held Constructive Talks on Extending Grain Agreement in Geneva - Spokesman

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - The United Nations and Russia have held constructive talks on potentially extending the grain export agreement, formally called the Black Sea Grain Initiative, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

"Participants also remain engaged in the implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and held constructive discussions on its continuation," Dujarric said in a statement on Friday.

Earlier in the day, UN Conference on Trade and Development head Rebeca Grynspan and the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths met with a Russian delegation led by Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Vershinin in Geneva, Switzerland.

On Thursday, Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Yuriy Vaskov proposed that the United Nations and Turkey extend the grain agreement for a year as well as expand the operation to the southern ports of the Nikolaev region.

Russia, Ukraine and Turkey signed on July 22 the United Nations-brokered agreement to secure a humanitarian corridor via the Black Sea for grain and fertilizer exports. The parties agreed for the agreement to last 120 days and expire on November 19.

On October 29, Russia suspended its participation in the agreement after its military and civilian ships were attacked by Ukraine in the bay of Sevastopol. The Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that Moscow was returning to the agreement after receiving written guarantees from Ukraine that Kiev will refrain from using the humanitarian corridor for military purposes. Kiev has denied providing any additional guarantees.