Moscow wants to renew grain deal for shorter term

Russian officials say they are willing to extend the agreement that allows Ukraine grain shipments safe passage through a Russian blockade in the Black Sea but only for 60 days, half its previous length.

I'm Nicole with an update on the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

The officials, who are negotiating with U.N. representatives, say sanctions imposed by the West after the invasion of Ukraine keep Russia from getting full access to markets for its grain and fertilizer. 

"Our further stance will be determined upon tangible progress on normalization of our agricultural exports, not in words, but in deeds," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative, brokered by the U.N. and Turkey, was intended to prevent a global food crisis. Russia and Ukraine are among the world's leading grain exporters. Both the initial deal in July and its extension in November – which expires Saturday – were agreed to for 120 days. 

Ukraine has pointed out terms of the deal specify extensions must last at least 120 days. The U.N. said in a statement that it "will do everything possible to preserve the integrity of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and ensure its continuity."

More news on Russia-Ukraine:

• A Russian missile struck an apartment building in the center of the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk on Tuesday. Officials said the strike killed at least one person and wounded seven others in one of Ukraine’s major city strongholds.
• Chinese leader Xi Jinping plans to meet virtually with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time since the start of the war. The visit and remote chat reflect Beijing’s effort to play a more active role in mediating an end to the war,  The Wall Street Journal reported.
• Thousands of Ukrainians who fled to America when the war started in February 2022 will get an extension on their one-year authorization to remain in the U.S..

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