The Kremlin on Thursday said Russia had yet to decide if it will extend its participation in the Ukraine grain deal that expires later this month.
“Before making a decision on an extension, we will need to give an overall assessment of the effectiveness of the deal,” President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
The Turkey and UN-brokered deal to unlock grain exports signed between Russia and Ukraine in July was due to be renewed on November 19.
Last week Russia quit the deal for four days over a drone attack on its Black Sea Fleet in Crimea.
Moscow resumed its participation in the agreement on Wednesday, after saying it had received security guarantees from Ukraine on demilitarising a maritime corridor.
Peskov said Moscow’s return “does not mean” it would necessarily decide to extend the deal later this month.
He said Russia only trusted Ukraine’s guarantees because they were brokered by Turkey, praising Ankara’s role in securing them.
“Turkey’s participation in this was the main factor for trust (in the guarantees),” he said.
“The work of Ankara and its military, diplomats and personally that of President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan is highly valued.”
On Wednesday, Putin threatened to leave the deal again if Kyiv violated its guarantees.
Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said the same day that Moscow’s return to the deal was a “separate issue” from its potential extension.
He added that Moscow had concerns over the way the deal was being implemented.
