Moscow, dated 22 July 2022 Friday
Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will sign an agreement on Friday to resume Ukraine’s Black Sea grain exports. This information has been provided by the office of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. Russia and Ukraine are the two main global wheat suppliers worldwide but the Russia-Ukraine war has disrupted food supplies and caused prices to rise sharply, triggering a global food crisis. Ukraine has stopped grain exports because of the war. Due to which dozens of ships are stranded and 20 million tonnes of food grains present in them are stuck in silos at Odisha port.
It is to be signed by Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Istanbul on Friday. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that another UN-led discussion on curbing grain exports will take place in Turkey on Friday. A document may also be signed. Ankara said a general agreement had been reached on the UN-led plan during talks in Istanbul last week and that it would now be put into writing by the parties. Turkish President Erdogan’s office said the signing would take place on Friday at the Dolmabahce Palace offices.
However, Moscow i.e. the Russian government did not immediately confirm anything. Even the government of Ukraine has not confirmed this agreement. The foreign ministry said late on Thursday that another United Nations-led tour of talks to curb Ukraine’s grain exports will take place in Turkey on Friday. Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said last week that the agreement to be signed includes joint controls to inspect shipments at the port. Turkey will also establish a coordination center with Ukraine, Russia and the United Nations for grain exports.
The United States has welcomed the agreement and said it is focused on holding Russia accountable for implementing it. US State Department spokesman Ned Price said, We should never have been in this situation in the first place. It was a deliberate decision on the part of the Russian Federation to weaponize this meal. Second, Russia has denied responsibility for worsening the food crisis.