“Grain Agreement" to extend automatically, says Turkish Defense Minister
Read also: Russian invaders steal at least 400,000 tons of grain from Ukraine, says Agrarian Ministry
He noted that the document will be renewed automatically if there are no problems and objections.
"We did not limit the agreement to a certain period, some [dates] were mentioned at the beginning, but we do not raise this issue at this stage; we propose that this agreement be preserved and continue as long as the work continues (within the agreements – ed.)," Akar stated.
Read also: Ukraine to export 3 million tons of crops every month through unblocked ports
Ukraine, Russia, and Turkey signed an agreement proposed by the UN to unblock Ukrainian grain exports on July 22. It will allow for a partial blockade lift for three Ukrainian ports.
The first meeting on the issue of lifting the Russian blockade on Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea was held on July 13, which was attended by representatives of Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the UN.
The Turkish Defense Minister said that the delegations agreed on the establishment of a coordination center in Istanbul and aligned on "key technicalities", including "joint control at points of departure and arrival".
Russia has deliberately blocked Ukrainian ports and sea routes in the Black Sea used to export grain from Ukraine, as well as hindered exports by rail, launching missile attacks on elevators, railway infrastructure, and even grain fields, provoking widespread fires.
The Kremlin is trying to put pressure on the global community in order to achieve the lifting of sanctions imposed against Russia for its war crimes and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Following the agreement, on July 23, Russia bombed one of the intended seaports in Odesa, causing fires to break out throughout the port.
Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
