The extension of Ukraine’s grain deal is nearing completion
Turkey’s Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said in a statement from his ministry on Friday that the extension of the Ukrainian grain export deal is nearing completion. “We are nearing the completion of the extension of the Grains Agreement,” Mr Akar said during a speech on Thursday that was released on Friday.
A meeting was held in Istanbul on Thursday as part of talks on extending the agreement, attended by Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations. According to a UN press release, apart from the extension of the agreement, the resumption of operation of the Togliatti-Odessa pipeline for deliveries of ammonia, an essential chemical component of mineral fertilizers, which Moscow is demanding, was also discussed.
Turkey has managed to maintain ties with Ukraine and Russia since the conflict began. Ankara was one of the main players in concluding the so-called Black Sea Agreement, signed for 120 days on July 22 by the United Nations, Ukraine, Russia and Turkey.
The opening of this maritime corridor on August 1 has enabled the export of almost 30 million tons of agricultural products from Ukraine, destined for China, Turkey, the European Union, but also for fragile and vulnerable countries heavily dependent on black imports Countries are dependent on the sea, such as Egypt, Tunisia, Bangladesh or Yemen. The agreement helped alleviate the global food crisis caused by the war and was extended by four months.
It expires on May 18 and Russia has not agreed to a third extension. The United States and the United Kingdom jointly called for an extension of the agreement on Tuesday and denounced that Russia continues to use food “as a weapon”. Russia laments the non-application of a second agreement with Ukraine that allows its own grain and fertilizer exports. Moscow complains that it cannot sell its production and fertilizers due to Western sanctions, which particularly affect the financial and logistics sectors.
Ukraine is one of the world’s leading grain producers.