UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "continues to engage in intense contacts" to get Russia to resume its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative to remove food from Ukrainian ports, according to a comment by Stephane Dujarric, the secretary general's spokesman.

"The Secretary-General continues to engage in intense contacts aiming at the end of the Russian suspension of its participation," U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

He said these contacts are also aimed at resuming and fully implementing the initiative to facilitate food and fertilizer exports from Ukraine, as well as at removing remaining obstacles to Russian exports of products and fertilizers.

According to Dujarric, Guterres is deeply concerned about the ongoing situation around the Black Sea initiative.