According to the Ukrainian news outlet Strana, Ukraine, Turkey, and the United Nations signed a grain export pact on Friday in Istanbul. The paper was signed by Oleksandr Kubrakov, Ukraine’s infrastructure minister, Hulusi Akar, Turkey’s defence minister, and Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General.
The agreement to reopen Ukraine’s Black Sea ports will liberate millions of tonnes of grain that have been stranded in Ukrainian ports since Russia’s invasion on February 24. This will alleviate concerns about a potential global food disaster caused by Russia’s invasion.
Earlier on Friday, Ukraine declared that it would not enter into any direct agreements with Russia and would instead sign a pact with Turkey and the United Nations to resume grain exports that had been halted by Moscow’s invasion. Ukraine and Russia have not signed any agreements. A presidential advisor, Mykhaylo Podolyak, said on Twitter that ‘we will sign an agreement with Turkey and the UN,’ adding that Russia would sign a separate ‘mirror’ agreement.
The United Nations Secretary-General has described the Ukraine grain deal as ‘a beacon on the Black Sea… a beacon of relief in a world that needs it more than ever’. António Guterres said at the signing ceremony in Turkey that the agreement, which ‘did not come easily,’ will allow exports from Odessa, Chernomorsk, and Yuzhny ports.
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