Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday that Russia has agreed to extend a deal that allows Ukraine to ship grain through the Black Sea, helping to ease a global food crisis exacerbated by the war in Ukraine that began over a year ago. The deal, brokered by the UN and Turkey last summer, has allowed Ukraine to maintain its grain shipments and has been a vital lifeline for the global food supply. According to Erdogan, the deal will be extended for two months, providing crucial breathing room for Ukraine’s wheat harvest, which is expected to begin in June and needs to be sold by July.
Russia had set a deadline of Thursday for its concerns to be addressed, warning that it would withdraw from the deal if its demands were not met. The concerns reportedly relate to the separate agreement to ease shipments of Russian food and fertiliser, which Moscow insists has not been applied. The issue has become increasingly pressing, as Ukraine’s wheat harvest is approaching, and the country’s ability to export its crops is crucial to meeting global demand.
Ukraine has been able to send some of its food through land routes through Europe, but these routes have a lower capacity than sea shipments and have caused tensions within the European Union. The EU has struggled to come to a consensus on how to address the issue, with some member states advocating for stricter sanctions on Russia and others pushing for alternative export routes. The extension of the grain deal provides a temporary reprieve from these tensions and allows Ukraine to continue shipping grain through the Black Sea, ensuring a steady supply of food to the global market.
PM Mitsotakis (Via Mitsotakis/Twitter)
The deal has also had significant economic benefits for Ukraine, as the country’s grain exports have become a vital source of revenue. The war in Ukraine has disrupted global food supply chains, leading to shortages and price increases, and the extension of the grain deal is seen as a crucial step in restoring stability to the market. The news has been welcomed by international leaders, who have been working to address the global food crisis and find solutions to the humanitarian and economic impact of the war.
The extension of the grain deal between Ukraine and Russia, brokered by the UN and Turkey, will help to ease the global food crisis caused by the war in Ukraine. The deal, which allows Ukraine to ship grain through the Black Sea, has been extended for two months and will provide a vital lifeline for the global food supply chain. The news has been welcomed by international leaders and is seen as a crucial step in addressing the humanitarian and economic impact of the war.
