The drop in grain prices in the US and the UK is already being felt. In case of provocations, there will be an immediate military response, says Kyiv
The “brake” on the food crisis caused by the war in Ukraine seems to be put by the Moscow-Kiev agreement for the disengagement and export of Ukrainian grain, signed today in Istanbul.
Already as a BBC report reveals a noticeable decline has begun in grain prices. Its price of wheat in Chicago – a key benchmark for the global market – was down more than 3% on Friday morning, while milling wheat was down more than 4%.
At the same time the wheat animal feed in the UK – a European benchmark for feed wheat – fell by almost 3%.
“Exports may start next week”
A lawmaker from Odessa, the center of Russia’s grain blockade in Ukraine, is optimistic that the deal will be formally completed today while it is possible that exports will start from next week. He still, he said, does not trust the Kremlin because of its past behavior.
He also says Ukraine “desperately needs arms and support” from the world.
Kyiv: We will respond militarily to any Russian provocations over grain export deal
Any “challenges” by Russia to the agreement to lift the blockade of Ukrainian ports for grain exports will be met militarily, an adviser to the Ukrainian president said today. Michael Podoliak.
“Ukraine will not sign any document with Russia. We will sign an agreement with Turkey and the United Nations and assume our obligations towards them. Russia will sign a corresponding agreement with Turkey and the United Nations,” Podoliak wrote in a tweet ahead of the expected signing ceremony in Istanbul.
“There will be no escorting of the transport ships by Russian ships and no presence of Russian representatives in our ports. In case of challenges, there will be an immediate military response.
“All inspections of commercial ships will be carried out by joint echelons in Turkish territorial waters if the need arises,” he clarified.
In detail what the agreement provides for the export of Ukrainian grains
– The establishment of a coordination and control center based in Istanbul.
The center will be attended by representatives of the three sides, one Ukrainian, one Russian, one Turkish, as well as a representative of the United Nations and their teams.
It will be tasked with drawing up the Black Sea vessel rotation schedule.
According to experts involved in the negotiations, it will take another three to four weeks to complete the preparations and start its operation.
– Carrying out inspections of ships upon their departure from Ukrainian ports and upon their arrival in Turkey.
The inspection of the ships that will transport the cargoes of grain was a requirement of Moscow that wanted to exclude the parallel transfer of weapons to Ukraine.
For practical reasons, the inspections will not take place at sea, a possibility that had been considered, but in Turkey, most likely in Istanbul, which has two important commercial ports, Haydarpasa, at the entrance to the Bosphorus, and Ambarli, on the Sea of ​​Marmara.
Inspections will be made by representatives of the four sides during disembarkation and disembarkation.
-Safe navigation corridors
Russians and Ukrainians pledge to respect the shipping lanes that will cross the Black Sea and be excluded from any military activity.
Under the agreement, if demining is needed, it will have to be done by a “third country” – other than the three involved – which has not been defined.
When leaving Ukraine, the ships will be escorted by Ukrainian (presumably warships) vessels, paving the way to the exit from Ukrainian territorial waters.
-Four-month renewable power
The agreement will be valid for four months and will be automatically renewed. If 20 to 25 tons of grain are currently blocked in the silos of Ukrainian ports, with a transfer rate of 8 tons per month, four months will be enough to transfer all the stocks and empty the silos.
-Memorandum on Russian grains and fertilizers
A memorandum accompanying the agreement signed by the UN and Russia would guarantee that Western sanctions against Moscow would not affect grain and fertilizer directly or indirectly.
This provision is a condition sine qua non for the signing of the agreement by Moscow.
BBC, APE-MPE
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