Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister and Russia’s Defense Minister to sign grain agreement

Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister, Oleksandr Kubrakov, and Russia's Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu, will be in Turkey to sign an UN-backed grain export agreement with Ukraine.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will attend the ceremony with the Turkish President at the Dolmabahce Palace offices at 13:30 GMT.

Russia and Ukraine are both key global wheat exporters, but Moscow's invasion of Kyiv has driven up prices and exacerbated the global food crisis.

Russia's TASS news agency, citing an unknown source said three Ukrainian ports, including the largest export center Odesa, would be reopened which was blocked by Moscow maritime, due to which dozens of ships and millions of tonnes of grain stuck in silos at the port.

Last week, the four members met in Istanbul and reached a preliminary agreement on the deal, which calls for cooperative administration of ships departing and arriving at Black Sea ports.

Picture Credits: AP 

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