Secret plan for grain deal revealed: “Too good to be true”: UN wants to give in to Putin’s crazy demands.

Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea initiative is making grain exports from Ukraine more difficult. Now an explosive letter has emerged that shows how the United Nations wants to reactivate the deal with Vladimir Putin. The four points cited by the UN leave you speechless – Russia even finds them “too good to be true”.

A secret letter from UN Secretary General Antonio Gutierres is causing a stir. He is said to have sent this to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on August 28th. ” Picture “ reports about this letter that is supposed to be available to you.

It sets out “four concrete cornerstones of the agreement between the United Nations Secretariat and the Russian Federation”. The goal: “Renewing the Black Sea Initiative”. Three of the four points would meet demands from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The reason is apparently relatively remote from war. Because three percent of grain exports (around 725,000 tons) benefit the UN World Food Program, the United Nations is fighting for the deal’s comeback. The following points are in the letter.

1. Russian State Bank is allowed to return to Swift

Part of the sanctions against Russia imposed in June 2022 was the exclusion of the Russian Agrarian Bank (RAB) from the Swift financial transaction system. According to Gutierres, this should be circumvented by a specially founded subsidiary (RSHB Capital SA). He made this suggestion to Putin in a letter back in July. The return to SWIFT is a key demand of Russia.

“RSHB Capital SA would share messages via Swift with global financial institutions,” writes the UN Secretary-General. The subsidiary “would then take on the role of an interface without itself playing the role of a bank, so that it does not require a banking license under Luxembourg law”.

The EU is apparently even playing along. In response to a query from Bild, a spokesperson confirmed that “the EU has expressed to Russia through the UN its openness to finding a more permanent, constructive solution through a designated subsidiary of the Russian Agrarian Bank that would ensure Swift payments are in line with EU sanctions for agricultural and food transactions”.

2. Russian ships will be insured against Ukraine attacks

On the second point, Gutierres suggests comprehensively insuring Russian ships against attacks by Ukraine. This involves freight insurance and so-called Hull & P&I insurance. Hull insurance is hull insurance against external influences on the ships used for transport, P&I is one liability insurance.

“The United Nations will support insurance to highlight the importance of Russian exports to global food security and to increase the number of market participants, with the ultimate goal of reducing insurance costs for Russian exporters,” the UN Secretary General wrote.

With the help of the British ship insurer Lloyd’s, this should be ready in four to six weeks. When asked, the company only said that it did not want to comment.

3. Russia gets confiscated money back

What’s even more crazy is that the UN wants to help Putin’s government get frozen assets back. Specifically: The confiscated money should be returned to Russia. “The United Nations can continue to help unfreeze frozen assets of Russian fertilizer companies in the European Union,” Gutierres said. This would also mean he would be complying with Putin’s demands.

Russia would have to “provide a list of specific accounts or assets” and “Russian fertilizer companies must apply to the relevant EU national authorities for the relevant exemptions,” it said. The UN Secretary General promises that the UN will then work with the national authorities and the EU.

4. Russian ships are allowed to dock in Germany and the EU again

The final point should be the return of Russian ships to EU ports. Gutierres wants to “enable effective access of Russian ships transporting food and fertilizer products to EU ports through rapid port authorizations.”

The UN is ready to examine further options to facilitate this access. According to the UN Secretary General, his officials have already “held discussions with the European Commission and selected port authorities (Germany, Belgium, Spain, Netherlands)”, which would thus fulfill another of the Russian President’s demands.

When asked by Bild, the Foreign Office refers to the restrictive measures against Russia, including a ban on calls at German ports. But: “The Federal Government supports the efforts to restart the Black Sea Grain Agreement and is in close contact with its partners and the United Nations.”

The EU Commission, meanwhile, speaks of “targeted exceptions to allow Russian ships access to EU ports if this is necessary for the purchase, import or transport of agricultural products and food, including wheat and fertilizers.” The sanctions expressly provide for this.

“Too good to be true”: Why Russia is hesitant about the deal with the UN

Gutierres did not want to comment when asked. Russia’s leadership, on the other hand, is said to be perplexed. She is only hesitant because she considers the offer to be “too good to be true” and doubts the “technical feasibility” of the announced relief. Ukraine says the proposals are “an unbelievable affront” and a “reward for aggressive Russian behavior” by the UN.

“Under no circumstances” would one return to the grain agreement under these conditions, according to Ukrainian government circles. Attacks on Russian ships and the Crimean Bridge would continue.