Negotiations will start in a week on extending an UN-backed initiative that has enabled Ukraine to export grain from its Black Sea ports blockaded by Russia after its invasion, a senior Ukrainian official said on 17 February, Reuters reports.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative brokered by the UN and Türkiye last July allowed grain to be exported from three Ukrainian ports of the Greater Odesa area. The agreement is up for renewal again in March, but Russia says it wants sanctions affecting its agricultural exports to be lifted.
"Negotiations on extending the grain corridor will begin in a week and then we will understand the positions of all parties," Ukrainian Deputy Infrastructure Minister Yuriy Vaskov said during a grain conference in Kyiv, according to Reuters.
Read also:
- Grain initiative: Ukraine to increase ships’ tonnage due to Russia’s inspections sabotage
- Ukraine accuses Russia of deliberately slowing grain shipments
- Grain initiative: European businesses urge the UN and Türkiye to increase vessel inspections
- Grain initiative: Greater Odesa ports send seven more vessels, with two bound for African countries
- Russia exports half million tonnes of possibly stolen Ukrainian grain to Syria – Reuters
- Eight ships left Greater Odesa ports with agricultural products using the ‘grain corridor’
- Russia launched missiles over grain corridor routes on Nov 2 morning – Zelenskyy
- Russia resumes Ukraine grain-export deal in abrupt reversal – Bloomberg
- Grain transport deal still in force despite Russian statements – UN
- Greater Odesa ports operating at 25-30% of their capacity as Russia deliberately delays full implementation of “grain initiative”
- Agreement to export Ukrainian grain, unblock ports signed in Istanbul
