ANKARA: Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday announced the extension of the Ukraine grain deal that allowed to resume of exports of Ukrainian grain following the Russian invasion.
“Following talks with the two sides, we have assured the extension of the grain deal that was due to expire on March 19,” Tayyip Erdogan said in comments broadcasted on Turkish television, only hours before the agreement was due to expire at midnight.
Erdogan did not say for how long the grain deal was extended. Ankara had previously said it wanted a 120-day extension, while Russia favoured a 60-day extension.
“This deal is of vital importance for the global food supply. I thank Russia and Ukraine, who didn’t spare their efforts for a new extension, and the United Nations secretary general.”
Grain deal to facilitate global food supply
Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 saw warships blocking Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.
But a deal brokered by Turkiye and the United Nations (UN) in July last year — and signed by Moscow and Kyiv — has allowed for the safe passage of exports of crucial grain supplies. The initial deal was extended in November until March 18.
Ukraine was one of the world’s top grain producers, and the so-called Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI) has helped soothe the world food crunch triggered by the conflict.
