The goal is the resumption of exports from the large port of Odessa, on the Black Sea.
Representations of its armed forces of Russiaher Ukrainian and her Turkey are meeting today with its officials United Nations Organization in Constantinoplein the context of talks on the possible resumption of of Ukrainian grain exports from the great port of Odessa, on the Black Sea, at a time when the global food crisis is worsening.
Turkey, which has taken on a mediating role, in coordination with the UN, is trying to help reach an agreement as the Russian military invasion of Ukrainian territory has sent prices of grain, cooking oil, fuel, fertilizers skyrocketing. THE Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced today’s meeting yesterday Tuesday.
“We are working hard, but there is still a long way to go,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said yesterday. “A lot of people just talk about it. We prefer to try to achieve it”, he added.
Diplomats say the plan under discussion calls for Ukrainian ships to ferry cargo in and out of mined ports; Russia would declare ceasefire for the movement of the ships; and that Turkey – with the support of the United Nations – would inspect the trucks to assuage Russian concerns about arms smuggling.
Ukraine also reported that grain exports are increasing despite the blockade of its ports in Black Sea, as some of its ships now move through the Danube.
Both Ukraine and Russia are major grain suppliers internationally. Russia also tops the world rankings for fertilizer exports, while Ukraine is a major producer of corn and sunflower oil.
THE Russian military invasion and the naval blockade in the Black Sea effectively suspended exports, have blocked dozens of ships and over 20 tons of grain in silos in Odessa.
The upcoming crop is also at risk as Ukraine is short of storage space due to the halt in exports.
RES-EMP
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