On Thursday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was among a number of international leaders who praised an agreement to prolong the Black Sea grain pact, which had been threatened by Moscow, raising fears about global food supply.
“I appreciate all parties’ decision to continue the Black Sea Grain Initiative to assist the safe sailing of Ukrainian grain, foodstuffs, and fertilizer exports,” Guterres stated in a tweet. “The project underscores the value of covert diplomacy in reaching multinational agreements.”
The deal, according to European Council President Charles Michel, is “excellent news for a globe that desperately needs access to food and fertilizers.”
The grain pact was negotiated in July by the United Nations and Turkey to allow Ukraine to restart grain and other agricultural product exports after Russia launched a full-fledged attack on the nation in February. It had been set to expire on November 19th.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Twitter that the extended deal was achieved after Turkey sponsored talks between the United Nations, Russia, and Ukraine.
So far, more than 11 million metric tons of grain and other supplies have been delivered from Ukrainian ports under the contract, according to Erdogan.
The 120-day extension is shorter than the one-year extension requested by Ukraine.
