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Details of the contract for the export of grain in Ukraine

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed today that an agreement was reached with Russian and Ukrainian officials to extend the agreement for the export of Ukrainian grain and Russian fertilizers through the waters of the Black Sea for another two months.

“Thanks to the efforts of our country, the support of our Russian friends and the contribution of our Ukrainian friends, it has been decided to extend the Black Sea Grain Corridor Agreement for two more months,” the president said in a press release. Social network Twitter.

Erdogan vowed to continue to try to ensure all conditions set out in the deal are met, with Moscow vowing that it “cannot prevent the departure of ships” from the ports of Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine and Olvia in Crimea. Peninsula.

The president expressed his gratitude to his Russian counterparts Vladimir Putin and Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for their “real support, constructive cooperation and efforts” in the process.

“I believe that this decision will be beneficial to all parties, which is of key importance for the smooth functioning of global food supply chains, and especially for access to grains for countries in need,” Erdogan said.

Shortly after the announcement, Ukraine “thanked” Ankara and the UN for extending a grain export agreement that would “strengthen global food security”.

Russia confirmed the extension of the deal for a two-month period, but asked for “rectification” of “inconsistencies” in its application, AFP news agency reported.

According to Moscow, the export of fertilizers and agricultural products continues to face difficulties, while the export of Ukrainian grain is allowed.

Ukraine and Russia together produce a third of the world’s wheat, and their exports are also important in commodities such as corn and sunflower oil, so the embargo on exports due to the war has affected food security, particularly in developing countries.

In July 2022, an agreement between the UN, Ukraine, Russia and Turkey was signed, which facilitated the marketing of these grains through the Black Sea, allowing the sale of more than 30 million tons of food since then.

Since then, the contract has been extended twice: first, for 120 days, from November 17, 2022 to March 18, 2023; And then for another 60 days, in an extension that expires tomorrow.

“I welcome the confirmation of the Russian Federation’s participation in the Black Sea Initiative for another 60 days. Even in the darkest times, there is always a beacon of hope and an opportunity to find win-win solutions.” “, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres posted on his Twitter page.

The U.S. also welcomed Erdogan’s announcement of the deal extension, which State Department chief deputy spokesman Vedant Patel called “really important.”

“We think it’s very important that it is extended… In general, we will continue to work with the UN and our Turkish partners in all ways we can to ensure that it is extended for as long as it takes,” Patel said during a press conference.

Washington has its U.N. Patel added that it will continue to work with partners and Turkey.

“I think there is no need to remind Russia every few weeks to stop using people’s hunger as a weapon in the war against Ukraine and fulfill its promises,” Europa Press and Sputnik agencies quoted him as saying.