Russia and Ukraine sign an agreement with Türkiye and the United Nations on shipping Ukrainian grain, foodstuff, and fertilizer to international markets via the Black Sea in Istanbul, on July 22, 2022. (PHOTO/XINHUA)
ISTANBUL / WASHINGTON - Russia and Ukraine signed a long-awaited deal here on Friday to safely transfer Ukrainian grain, foodstuff, and fertilizer to international markets under the supervision of the United Nations.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative, signed respectively with Türkiye under the UN auspices, would allow significant volumes of commercial food and fertilizer exports from three key ports in the Black Sea – Odessa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny, the UN said in a statement on its website.
"It is a beacon of hope," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said after attending the signing ceremony in Istanbul, adding "it will help avoid a food shortage catastrophe for millions worldwide ... It must be fully implemented."
"It is a beacon of hope," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said after attending the signing ceremony in Istanbul, adding "it will help avoid a food shortage catastrophe for millions worldwide ... It must be fully implemented."
The ceremony was also attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was committed to facilitating a solid outcome from rounds of talks his country hosted for Russia and Ukraine over the past two months.
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"We are talking about 25 million tons of grain," Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar told reporters after the ceremony, noting that the need for a safe transport corridor to transfer these products by sea was urgent.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks to reporters at the UN Headquarters in New York, July 13, 2022. (PHOTO/XINHUA)
A Joint Coordination Center will be established in Istanbul to monitor implementation in Istanbul including representatives from Türkiye, Russia and Ukraine, said the UN statement.
According to a copy of the agreement released by Andrii Sybiha, deputy head of the Ukrainian President's Office, the deal will be effective for 120 days and can be renewed for the same duration unless one of the signing parties terminates.
Ukraine is among the world's leading grain exporters, supplying more than 45 million tons annually to the global market, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization
"All properly identified and accredited trade vessels will be guaranteed safe passage from the three Ukrainian ports," and will be inspected by a team with members from all parties, it said.
Ukraine is among the world's leading grain exporters, supplying more than 45 million tons annually to the global market, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
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UN reports revealed that more than 800 million people around the world at the moment directly face the possibility of hunger, and the numbers could rise.
Ukraine and Russia are breadbaskets of the world, producing almost one-third of the world's wheat and barley and half of its sunflower oil. Russia is also a top global exporter of fertilizers and the raw materials for its production, Guterres' press office said in a note to correspondents.
$270m in security assistance
The White House announced Friday that the United States will provide Ukraine with an additional package of security assistance worth $270 million.
The new round of aid includes four "High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems" and additional ammunition for the HIMARS, four command post vehicles, 36,000 rounds of 105mm ammunition, 3,000 anti-armor weapons as well as up to 580 "Phoenix Ghost" tactical unmanned aerial systems
According to a factsheet issued by the Department of Defense, the new round of aid includes four "High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems" and additional ammunition for the HIMARS, four command post vehicles, 36,000 rounds of 105mm ammunition, 3,000 anti-armor weapons as well as up to 580 "Phoenix Ghost" tactical unmanned aerial systems.
Part of the package, totaling $175 million, will be approved directly by President Joe Biden under the presidential drawdown authority, the Pentagon said, with the remaining 95 million dollars coming from the Department of Defense-led Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funds.
While weapons approved by the PDA are drawn directly from existing Pentagon stocks, the USAI is an authority under which the US government procures weapons from the industry via contracts.
The newly announced package brings total US commitment of security assistance for Ukraine to approximately 8.2 billion dollars since the start of the Biden administration, according to the factsheet.