Russia and Ukraine will meet in Turkey on Wednesday to resume grain deliveries across the Black Sea. Representatives from the UN and Turkey will also attend the meeting in Istanbul. According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, this is “two steps” away from an agreement.
Since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24 and the blockade of Ukrainian ports, the prices of grain, cooking oil, fuel and fertilizer have risen sharply. As Ukraine is one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat, the disruption in its exports has led to a food crisis. Military delegations from Russia, Ukraine and Turkey will discuss with UN representatives in Istanbul how to facilitate the safe export of Ukrainian grain from the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odessa.
“Now everything depends on Russia”
“We are ready to export grain to the international market,” Kuleba told the Spanish newspaper El Pais. The security concerns associated with the Russian position must be taken into account. “We are in the final phase and now everything depends on Russia.”
When asked why Russia would agree to an agreement, Kuleba replied that he suspected the leaders in Moscow wanted countries in Africa and Asia to show their willingness to save them from food shortages. However, it is still conceivable that Russia will leave the negotiations.
Sea mines danger to ships
Russia accuses Ukraine of blocking an agreement. According to diplomats, there is talk of escort ships to guide the grain ships through the mining waters around the port of Odessa. Turkey would also inspect the cargo ships with support from the UN. This is intended to allay Russian concerns that weapons could be smuggled into Ukraine in this way.
More than 20 million tons of grain are stored in the silos in Odessa. Not only is it missing from the global market, but it also jeopardizes the coming harvest because Ukraine has run out of storage space.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
