Erdogan: Agreement on Ukrainian grain exports on the Black Sea has been extended
The agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain on the Black Sea has been extended by two months, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Wednesday, AFP reports, cited by Agerpres.
"It has been decided to extend the Black Sea grain agreement for two more months," an agreement concluded in July 2022, the Turkish head of state said of the deal involving Ukraine and Russia.
The Kremlin said on Tuesday that "many unanswered questions" remained to be resolved before the extension of the agreement, which was due to expire on Thursday evening.
Signed last July between the United Nations, Ukraine, Russia and Turkey, the agreement has allowed more than 30 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain to be exported over the past ten months.
The agreement, which helped alleviate the global food crisis caused by the war, had previously been renewed for 60 days on 19 March.
In theory, the extensions are meant to be for 120 days, but Russia has said it will accept an extension of only 60 days.
Moscow says that while Ukrainian grain exports may have resumed, Russian fertiliser and food exports remain blocked by obstacles linked to sanctions imposed on Russia by Western countries after the outbreak of the Russian offensive against Ukraine in February 2022.
