Officials meet to discuss Ukraine grain export plan
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ISTANBUL • Russian, Ukrainian and Turkish military delegations met UN officials in Istanbul yesterday, CNN Turk said, starting talks on resuming exports of Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea port of Odesa as a global food crisis worsens.
Turkey has been working with the United Nations to broker a deal after Russia's Feb 24 invasion of Ukraine sent prices soaring for grain, cooking oil, fuel and fertiliser. Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar announced the latest talks on Tuesday.
"We are working hard indeed but there is still a way to go," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters on Tuesday.
Ukraine and Russia are major global wheat suppliers, and Russia is also a large fertiliser exporter, while Ukraine is a significant producer of corn and sunflower oil.
Diplomats say details of the plan under discussion include Ukrainian vessels guiding grain ships in and out through mined port waters; Russia agreeing to a truce while shipments move; and Turkey - supported by the UN - inspecting ships to allay Russian fears of weapons smuggling.
The Interfax news agency quoted Mr Pyotr Ilyichev, head of the international organisations department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, as saying Russia is ready to facilitate the navigation of foreign commercial vessels to export Ukrainian grain.
Russia has continued to export grain since the war started but there is a lack of large vessels as many owners are afraid to send them to the region. The costs of freight and insurance have also risen sharply.
Ukraine sparked hopes on Tuesday of an increase in grain exports despite Russia's blockade of Black Sea ports, noting that ships had started to pass through an important mouth of the Danube river.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba was quoted by Spanish newspaper El Pais as saying that Kyiv was "two steps away" from hammering out a deal with Moscow.
Russia's invasion and sea blockade of Ukraine have stalled exports, leaving dozens of ships stranded and more than 20 million tonnes of grain stuck in silos in Odesa.
REUTERS
