Russia officially pulls out of Ukraine grain deal

Russia has notified the UN, Turkey and Ukraine that it will not renew a crucial deal that allowed Ukraine to export grain through the Black Sea.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the agreements had reached a “de facto” end on Monday.

The deal let cargo ships pass through the Black Sea from the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhny/Pivdennyi.

But, Moscow said it would return to the agreement if its conditions were met.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had long complained that parts of the deal allowing the export of Russian food and fertilisers had not been honoured. In particular, he said grain had not been supplied to poorer countries, which was a condition of the agreement.