Erdogan: Grain agreement between Russia and Ukraine extended
Global food supply
Hours before expiry: According to Erdogan, Russia and Ukraine are extending their grain agreement
Last year, millions of tons of grain were stored in silos in Ukraine that could not be exported because of the Russian blockade. Now the grain agreement is said to have been extended.
© Uncredited/AP/DPA
For the time being, it’s clear that the warring parties Russia and Ukraine want to extend their grain agreement, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The agreement is only hours before the old deal would have expired.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Saturday the extension of the Grain Agreement announced between Russia and Ukraine. “After talks with both sides, we have pledged to extend the agreement, which was due to expire on March 19,” the Turkish leader said in a televised address on Saturday, just hours before the deal expires.
information on the duration of the extension Erdogan not at first. Ankara previously said it hoped for a 120-day extension. Russia, on the other hand, insisted on an extension of just 60 days.
Grain agreement: Turkey takes on the role of mediator between Moscow and Kiev
The grain agreement was in July 2022 mediated by the UN and the Turkey signed to allow safe export of Ukrainian grain through a Black Sea Protection Corridor. Turkey had played a key role in launching the UN-backed grain deal. The agreement was initially valid for 120 days and was extended by a further 120 days in November.
Ukraine and Russia are among the world’s largest grain exporters
According to UN figures, more than 24.1 million tons of grain have been exported so far. Parallel to the Grains Agreement, an agreement was concluded that Russia – despite sanctions – allowed the export of fertilizers and food. Moscow has repeatedly complained that this agreement will not be implemented.
Russian attack
How the fronts in Ukraine have shifted in a year of war
Ukraine and Russia are important suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil and other foodstuffs to countries in Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia. Before the war began, Russia was also the world’s largest exporter of fertilizers. The disruption of these supplies following the Russian invasion in February 2022 drove up food prices around the world and fueled fears of a hunger crisis in poorer countries.
