Black Sea Grain Export Agreement "May Be Extended for Two Months"

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu expressed today, Wednesday, his belief that "the agreement for exporting Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea will be extended for at least two more months," on the first day of extension talks in Istanbul. He stated that "the grain agreement was among the issues discussed with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during the visit," expressing "hope for a positive outcome." Russia confirmed that it "will not extend the agreement beyond May 18 unless its demands to remove obstacles to its grain and fertilizer exports are met." The United Nations noted that "inspection operations resumed yesterday, Tuesday, for ships sailing from Black Sea ports under an agreement allowing for the safe export of Ukrainian grain through it."