Russia is likely to allow the deal to renew after its Nov. 19 expiration, according to four people familiar with the situation, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss matters which aren’t yet public.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking after Group of 20 meetings in Bali, said the UN pledged that his government’s conditions for a deal would be met. Those include making sure Ukraine doesn’t use the export corridor for military purposes, enabling Russian grain and fertilizer shipments, allowing state-owned Rosselkhozbank to work in full, and “normal” insurance rates, he said. The UN cited written guarantees given by the US and the European Union that they would provide “signals” to companies involved in the trade they won’t face sanctions risks, Lavrov said.
