Ukraine and Russia have agreed to a two-month extension of a wartime deal that allows Ukraine to ship its grain across the Black Sea. The Black Sea Grain Initiative, which began last July, allows Ukraine to transport grain and other food products along a corridor past Russian naval vessels that have blockaded Ukraine’s ports since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion 15 months ago. The shipments are subject to inspection off the coast of Istanbul, while empty cargo ships headed to Ukraine’s ports are also checked.
Grain exports are important for Ukraine’s economy and their resumption also helps maintain the stability of global food prices, which rose sharply during the first months of war. The U.N. Secretary General, António Guterres, said that “Ukrainian and Russian products feed the world” and that discussions would continue on unresolved issues.
The agreement serves both governments in Kyiv and Moscow, as well as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, who acted as broker along with the United Nations. Over 30 million tons of food have been shipped under the Black Sea Initiative, according to data from the United Nations. Ukraine has explored ways to export more of its crops overland into Eastern and Central Europe, however, those routes can handle much smaller volumes.