Russia’s Lavrov meets UN Secretary General at G20

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday on the...
15 Nov, 2022

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said.

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova posted a photo of the pair seated at a table in Bali with Russian and UN flags, but the ministry provided no details of what the pair discussed.

It comes just days before the landmark Black Sea grain deal is set to expire.

The initiative, struck in July, unlocked agricultural exports from Ukraine’s southern ports and helped push down global food prices. But Moscow has not yet said whether it will extend its participation in the UN-backed deal, which is due to expire on Nov. 19.

G20 summit opens in Bali with a plea for unity as Ukraine war tops agenda

Moscow is pushing for sanctions on a state-run agricultural bank to be lifted - a move it says would help Russia export its own agricultural products and fertilisers.

Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, have criticised the deal in recent months as unfair, and said the West has not upheld commitments to ease sanctions on Russia.

Moscow temporarily suspended its participation in the agreement following an attack on Russian vessels in Crimea.

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