Russia's Lavrov says UN head is trying to help ease Russian grain exports

MOSCOW, March 25 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres was in constant contact with Moscow on the issue of easing exports of Russian grain and fertilisers and was "trying to help."

But Lavrov said Guterres was not seeking to cancel Western sanctions on Russia, but looking for loopholes in them that might help.

Lavrov said a memorandum of understanding between the United Nations and Russia on the subject concluded in 2022 was still in force until July of this year.

While Russian exports of food and fertiliser are not subject to Western sanctions, Moscow has said restrictions on payments, logistics and insurance have amounted to a barrier to shipments.

Russia wanted a resumption of its ammonia exports and the reconnection of its state agricultural bank Rosselkhozbank to the SWIFT international payments system.