Corridors could be set up in the Black Sea without clearing all mines, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday. “Since the location of the mines is known, corridors could be created in three (Ukrainian) ports.” He discussed the plan last week at a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Ankara.
Further talks with Kyiv and Moscow are necessary before an agreement can be reached. A hotline has been set up between the three countries to vote, Turkish TV channel TRT reported. If an agreement is reached, a control body based in Istanbul could be created.
Russia had previously asked Ukraine to clear all sea mines in front of the ports. Otherwise the grain cannot be exported. According to Ukrainian sources, however, this poses a security risk.
It is estimated that around 20 million tons of grain are stuck in Ukrainian ports because of the war. Russia and Ukraine account for almost a third of global wheat shipments. The main customers are usually countries in the Middle East and North Africa. According to UN estimates, the current blockade could trigger starvation in up to 19 million people next year.
Source: Nachrichten
