Russia confirmed that the grain export deal, formally known as the Black Sea Grain Initiative, has been extended for two months, a day before it expires.

“Thus, there is a chance, not in words but in deeds, to help ensure global food security,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told a weekly briefing on Wednesday.

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“Our fundamental assessment of the 2022 Istanbul agreement has not changed and the discrepancies in its implementation must be corrected as quickly as possible,” she said.

In July 2022, Russia and Ukraine separately signed a document in Istanbul with Turkey and the UN on grain and fertiliser exports from Ukraine and Russia to ensure supplies to global markets amid the Ukraine crisis, Xinhua news agency reported.

The initial 120-day agreement was extended by another 120 days in November 2022 and then by 60 days in March 2023.