Venezuela backs resumption of grain deal

Venezuela supports restoring the grain deal and attaches importance to ensuring food security.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil, who is visiting Türkiye, made the statement in Istanbul, TASS reports.

"We have expressed our position in all international meetings that this agreement is important to provide food at reasonable prices to the poorest countries in Africa and other continents. We are in favour of renewing the deal to provide food to the needy," Gil said at a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Gil also emphasised the importance of cooperation with Türkiye in the "food sector".

Russia on July 17 suspended its participation in the deal, which it signed last July along with Türkiye, the UN, and Ukraine to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports paused after the Russia-Ukraine war began in February. Even when renewing the deal in previous months, Moscow has complained that the Russian part of the agreement was not being implemented.