Details of the agreement for the export of grain.
An agreement signed Friday in Istanbul between Ukraine and Russia, and brokered by Turkey and the United Nations, would allow 5 million tons of grain exports a month from three Ukrainian ports, a top U.N. official said Friday. .
As part of the deal, grain ships will be able to sail through a safe corridor in the Black Sea and then pass through the Bosphorus to reach global markets, the official said.
The ships will be monitored by a Joint Coordination Center (JCC), which will be established immediately in Istanbul and will include representatives from Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the UN.
The ships will be inspected before they arrive in Ukraine by Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish and UN officials to make sure they are not carrying weapons, according to the official.
Ukraine and Russia have agreed not to attack any ships identified as part of this initiative that are passing through established channels. In the event of an incident, the JCC will step in to resolve any potential issues, the official said.
Representatives from the International Maritime Organization have been coordinating shipments with maritime transport networks, the official said.
It could take several weeks before ships start moving so that all the logistical details of the deal can be properly implemented and inspection teams can be set up, the official said.
However, the process must start quickly so that Ukraine’s silo towers can be emptied for the new harvest.
The agreement is valid for 120 days from the date of signing and can be extended for the same period only if one of the parties announces its termination, Ukrainian Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov, who signed the agreement, said in a Facebook post.
About 20 million tons of grain are currently available in Ukraine, while the summer harvest is now underway.