Dhe grain exports from Ukraine via the Black Sea are said to continue, although Russia has canceled safe conduct for the freighters. The delegations of the United Nations, Turkey and Ukraine have agreed on this, as the coordination center in Istanbul announced on Monday night. The Russian delegation in the center was informed of the result.
On Monday, twelve ships are to sail through the defined sea corridor from Ukraine towards Istanbul. The AFP news agency reported in the morning that the first two ships had already left Ukrainian ports. According to the coordination center, four ships should also go in the opposite direction. It is unclear how Russia will react to this continued shipping traffic.
The controls on the freighters previously carried out jointly by all four parties in Istanbul are also to continue. For Monday, the UN and Turkey are to provide ten teams to handle 40 waiting ships. The Ukrainians have agreed, the Russians have been informed, the United Nations said.
“Ukraine will do everything on its part to ensure that the grain export initiative continues to work,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his video address on Sunday.
Russia: No return in agreements for the time being
Russia spoke on Sunday of alleged evidence that Ukraine misused the humanitarian sea corridor for the drone attack on the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol the day before. Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said there was no talk of a return to the grain agreement until this was fully clarified. Moscow also wants to bring this attack before the UN Security Council in New York on Monday, the 250th day of the war.
At the meeting of the four delegations in the coordination center, the Russian side announced that it would suspend cooperation indefinitely, the UN statement said. However, she wanted to continue the dialogue with the UN and Turkey on “urgent issues”. The Russian representatives also wanted to be involved on the sidelines if the grain initiative had to make quick decisions overall.
The initiative, brokered by Turkey and the UN, was agreed in July and ended months of a blockade on Ukraine’s grain exports as a result of Russia’s war of aggression. According to Turkish information, 9.3 million tons of grain have been shipped since then. It has been agreed that the ships and their cargo will be inspected each time they pass through the Turkish Bosphorus Straits.
The agreement was originally valid until November 19th. However, if neither side had objected, it would have been automatically extended. Moscow has recently repeatedly criticized the agreement because it sees its own grain and fertilizer exports slowed down as a result of the sanctions imposed by the West.