2 yıl önce

Over 17M tonnes of grain exported from Ukraine under Istanbul deal

At least 643 grain-loaded ships have left Ukrainian ports since the signing of the Türkiye-brokered deal last year, according to Turkish National Defence Ministry.

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A joint coordination centre with officials from the three countries and the UN was set up in Istanbul to oversee the shipments.

More than 17 million tonnes of grain have been carried via the Black Sea grain corridor Türkiye helped broker last year in a bid to avert a potential food crisis amid the Russia-Ukraine war, said an official statement.

"The shipment of grain from Ukrainian ports continues safely as planned," the Turkish National Defence Ministry said on Saturday.

So far, at least 643 grain-loaded ships left Ukrainian ports, the statement added.

Last July, Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which were paused after the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022.

A joint coordination centre with officials from the three countries and the UN was set up in Istanbul to oversee the shipments.

The first ship carrying grain departed on August 1, 2022 from the Ukrainian port of Odessa under the historic deal.

Türkiye, internationally praised for its unique mediator role between Ukraine and Russia, has repeatedly called on Kiev and Moscow to end the war through negotiations.