The Black Sea Grain Initiative, allowing Ukraine to continue exporting its grain amid Russia's full-scale war, has been extended for 60 more days, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on May 17.
"We will continue our efforts to ensure that all the conditions of the agreement are fulfilled and that it will continue in the next period," Erdogan said on Twitter.
The UN and Turkey-brokered deal, first signed in July 2022, has been paramount in subduing soaring food prices worldwide. Russia's all-out war prevented Ukraine, one of the world's top grain suppliers, from exporting agricultural products from its Black Sea ports.
The deal has been extended several times since then. The previous extension was agreed upon on March 18, after weeks of Russia threatening to back out of it if certain terms were not met.
Since last fall, Russia has been sabotaging and delaying the inspections of ships carrying Ukrainian food products under the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
According to Ukraine's Infrastructure Ministry, due to Russia's actions, the worldwide exports of Ukrainian grain have been reduced by 15-18 million tons.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities insist that the grain deal be open-ended and automatically extended for 120 days.
Anastasiya Gordiychuk
