euractiv | UN seeks exports of "stranded" Russian fertilisers [in European ports] ahead of Black Sea grains deadline, 4 Nov "efforts to export stranded Russian fertilisers from European ports"

Western sanctions in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine do not ["]explicitly["] target Russian food and fertilisers but nevertheless have ["]complicated["] shipments because of their impact on finance, logistics[,] and insurance. [UNCTAD Gen-Sec Rebeca] Grynspan conceded that removing the obstacles was proving "difficult".

archived our sanctions don't affect ... 5 June 2022

"We have been CLARIFYING together and ENGAGING  with the EU, with the US[,] with the UK to solve these problems. And I think that we are making progress (but) not all the progress that I would want to see right now," she said. She warned of a crisis of "food availability" next year MY 2022/20223 if farmers did not receive fertilisers before the end of their sowing seasons.

euractiv | Russia seeks sanctions exemptions for state bank in Ukraine grain deal talks, 5 Nov

Russia has not detailed its demands publicly beyond calls to unblock Russian fertiliser stuck in European ports and warehouses and resume exports of ammonia, an important ingredient in fertiliser, through a Russia-Ukraine pipeline.

The four Sources®, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the subject, said Russia was asking Western countries to allow state lender Rosselkhozbank to restore its relations with correspondent banks despite Western sanctions.

UTV Russian blackmail weapon war crime story developing ...

Asked to comment, a spokesperson for the EU's executive Commission said EU sanctions were designed not to target the trade in Russian agricultural and food products and included exemptions where that was the purpose.

"Russia is using food as a weapon of war and this is yet another manipulation of the facts and spreading disinformation," the [EC] spokesperson said, declining to be named. "We urge all parties to renew the agreement."

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A senior [US] State Department official told Reuters the United States had taken steps to reassure the private sector that food exports were exempted from its sanctions, including by translating  guidance into multiple languagesand by issuing so-called comfort letters to companies seeking assurance that their business was not in breach of the sanctions.

The official, who discussed the issue on condition of anonymity, said private actors sometimes "engage in de-risking" in response to sanctions[,] and that the United States was willing to address specific issues if the UN raises them....

archived Hag Watch Int'l "in violent agreement"