According to a senior UN official, a deal between Ukraine and Russia that was mediated by Turkey and the UN and inked Friday in Istanbul would permit 5 million tonnes of grain shipments each month from three Ukrainian ports.
What is known about the deal’s specifics is as follows:
According to the agreement, grain ships will be able to travel through a secure passageway in the Black Sea before passing through the Bosphorus to reach international markets.
A Joint Coordination Centre (JCC), which will be set up right away in Istanbul and include representatives from Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, and the UN, will keep an eye on the warships.
Officials from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, and the UN would inspect ships before they arrived in Ukraine to make sure they were devoid of armaments, the official said.
As part of this plan, Russia and Ukraine have agreed not to attack any ships that are travelling through the established lanes. The official stated that in the event of an incident, JCC will step in to address any potential problems.
The official stated that representatives from the International Maritime Organization have been working with maritime networks to coordinate cargoes.
According to the official, it may take a few weeks before ships begin to move so that all logistical aspects of the agreement can be properly handled and inspection teams can be set up.
Nevertheless, the procedure must get off fast in order to empty Ukraine’s silos for the upcoming harvest, the official said.
Oleksandr Kubrakov, a minister for Ukraine, who signed the agreement, stated in a Facebook post that the agreement is in effect for 120 days as of the date of signing and that it may be extended for an additional 120 days if neither party has declared their intention to terminate it.
The summer harvest is currently well underway in Ukraine, where over 20 million tonnes of grain are being held up.
