Russia and Ukraine to sign grain export deal on Friday

Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey will meet on Friday to sign a United Nations-proposed agreement to allow grain shipments from Black Sea ports said Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

Russia and Ukraine are both significant worldwide wheat exporters, but Moscow's invasion of Kyiv has sent prices skyrocketing and fueled the global food crisis.

Russia's maritime blockade of Ukraine has halted shipments, stranding dozens of ships and trapping millions of tonnes of grain stuck in silos at ports

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who had already announced his trip to Istanbul on Thursday, will attend the ceremony with Erdogan at the Dolmabahce Palace offices at 13:30 GMT, according to the release.

“The grain export agreement, critically important for global food security, will be signed in Istanbul tomorrow under the auspices of President Erdoğan and UN Secretary-General Mr. Guterres together with Ukrainian and Russian delegations,” Turkey’s spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said in a tweet.

Last week, the four parties met in Istanbul and reached a preliminary agreement on the plan, which includes joint control of ships as they depart and arrive at Black Sea ports.

For the last two months, the UN and Turkey have been negotiating an arrangement to restore Ukraine's Black Sea grain exports while also facilitating Russian grain and fertilizer supplies.

Picture Credits: Reuters 

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