Russia reiterated its desire for unimpeded access to world markets for its food and fertilizer exports at talks with UN officials in Geneva. This is reported by Reuters.

 The statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation does not say whether Moscow is ready to restore the Black Sea Initiative agreed in July, which allowed Ukraine to resume grain exports. The contract expires on November 19.

 The UN reports that 10 million tons of grain and other food were exported from Ukraine under the agreement, which helped prevent a global food crisis.

 Russia has repeatedly complained that its own grain and fertilizer supplies, while not directly targeted by Western sanctions, are effectively blocked because the sanctions limit shippers' access to financing, insurance and ports.

 Moscow's statement says that the shipment of Ukrainian grain and the "normalization" of exports of its own agricultural products from Russia are components of a single package of measures to ensure global food security.

 The UN statement on November 11 states that the participants "continue to implement the Black Sea Grain Initiative and held constructive discussions on its continuation."