Ukraine war: Erdogan: grain agreement is extended

Russia and Ukraine have agreed to extend the grain deal. It will apply for another two months, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.

After the attack on Ukraine, Russia blocked grain exports from the neighboring country. The blockade and sanctions against Russia in 2022 led to sharp price increases for grain and fertilizer, among other things. Before the war, Russia and Ukraine provided almost a quarter of world grain exports. In July 2022, the Black Sea Grains Initiative, mediated by the United Nations and Turkey, came about.

It allows controlled grain exports from the Black Sea ports of Odessa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyj (Yushny). Representatives of the UN, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey inspect the shiploads in Istanbul. This is to ensure that only food and no weapons are actually on board.

Almost 30 million tons

According to the UN, almost 30 million tons of agricultural goods have been exported since the start of the grain corridor. In 2022, more than half of the wheat requirement for the World Food Program of the United Nations came from Ukraine.

In addition, there was an agreement with Russia to facilitate the export of Russian food and fertilizers. Russia repeatedly threatened to drop the agreements, citing, among other things, that its own exports of grain and fertilizer were still being hampered by Western sanctions.

Ukraine and Russia are important suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil and other foodstuffs to countries in Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia. Before the war began, Russia was also the world’s largest exporter of fertilizers. The disruption of these supplies following the Russian invasion in February 2022 drove up food prices around the world and fueled fears of a hunger crisis in poorer countries.

According to the UN, more than 1,000 ships have so far left Ukrainian ports as part of the agreement.