Russia’s Lavrov calls UN bid to revive Black Sea deal unrealistic

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday portrayed the United States and Europe as “looking down” on the rest of the world amid a battle to win over developing countries, and said that while Moscow does not reject U.N. efforts to revive a Black Sea grain deal, a recent proposal was unrealistic.
Lavrov spoke after a week of intense global diplomacy at the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations, where Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy – attending in person – and Western allies sought to shore up support for Kyiv. Lavrov said he met with more than 30 countries during the week.
After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 the United Nations blamed the war for worsening a global food crisis and a new diplomatic frontline emerged, with Moscow and Kyiv fighting to win over those hit hardest: poor and developing countries.