Ukrainian and Turkish authorities have agreed on Monday to transfer 16 ships through the open humanitarian corridor in the Black Sea despite Russia’s suspension of the pact to export grain from Ukrainian territory.
Thus, Ankara and Kiev have reached an agreement with the mediation of the United Nations, so that twelve vessels will leave Ukrainian ports with grain on board, while four others will go to the country.
In this regard, they have clarified that there are already six ships sailing in the area, although they have not yet entered the humanitarian corridor. There are currently 21 ships waiting for the go-ahead to transport some 700,000 tons of grain from Ukraine.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that the work to export grain «will go ahead despite the Russian suspension», according to the Anatolia news agency.
«Turkey will make efforts within the framework of the agreement and despite Russia’s doubts,» he said, before assuring that the pact has succeeded in «reducing the food crisis» caused by the war in Ukraine.
On Saturday, the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed the suspension of the agreement after accusing Kiev of carrying out a series of drone attacks against its fleet in the Black Sea. Earlier on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that «without Russia it is difficult to imagine an agreement to export grain from Ukraine».
During a press conference, he pointed out that «in the current conditions and with Russia making it impossible to guarantee the safety of navigation in these areas, this kind of pact is hardly feasible and becomes much more dangerous».
Peskov accused Ukraine of «undermining the atmosphere of security» and stressed the need to «proceed taking into account that it was Ukrainian actions that led to the agreement being called into question», as reported by the Interfax news agency.
However, he stated that «contacts continue with the Turkish side, as well as with the UN and other diplomatic departments». Regarding the possibility of resuming the agreement, he has qualified that «it is not an easy answer». «I can only say that talks are continuing,» he said.
On the other hand, he has stressed that Moscow is ready to compensate poorer countries receiving less grain due to the status of the export agreement. «At the moment we can only guarantee the readiness of the Russian side to compensate for the drop in grain volumes,» he pointed out.
