Turkish FM signals about extension of Ukraine grain deal

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which is set to expire soon, may be extended for another two months in the meeting between Turkish, Russian, Ukrainian and UN delegations in Istanbul.

Çavuşoğlu was referring to the meeting between the UN, deputy defence ministers of Russia, Ukraine, and Türkiye in Istanbul, reports Daily Sabah.

The meeting is expected to discuss a number of issues, including the evacuation of some Turkish-flagged ships, and the details about the extension of the groundbreaking agreement, as well as its importance for contributing to stability in Africa.

Last month, Russia said that the current situation "does not favour " an extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative as a deadline loomed. Moscow wants obstacles to exports of its fertilizer to be removed for it to agree to another extension of the grain deal which was signed in Istanbul last July among the four parties.

Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed a deal in Istanbul last July to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which were paused after the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022, exacerbating global food insecurity.

A coordination centre or Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) was set up in Istanbul to oversee shipments with officials from the three countries and the UN