White House: US pledges to help Russia with agricultural exports

The United States has agreed to assist Russia in accessing the global market for its agricultural products, according to a statement from the White House following the 24 March meeting in Saudi Arabia.

The White House statement notes that the United States will "help restore Russia’s access to the world market for agricultural and fertiliser exports".

Washington also states that it seeks to "lower maritime insurance costs and enhance access to ports and payment systems for such transactions".

Since 2022, Russia has been asserting that Western sanctions are damaging its food exports and threatening global food security despite the existence of numerous exemptions.

Meanwhile, the European Union plans to completely restrict imports of Russian agricultural products, citing the need to protect local producers.

Following the talks in Saudi Arabia, the delegations from the United States, Ukraine and Russia reached an agreement to work towards a truce in the Black Sea and a ban on strikes targeting energy infrastructure.