Turkey and Ukraine Extend Grain Agreement across the Black Sea for at least 60 Days

The agreement allowing the export of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports has been extended for at least 60 days, on Saturday, after Russia stated that any extension beyond mid-May would depend on the lifting of some Western sanctions. Turkey and the United Nations had previously announced the extension of the agreement with Russia and Ukraine without indicating any specific duration. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed in a statement that the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the memorandum to promote Russian food products and fertilizers in global markets are essential for global food security, particularly for developing countries. He added, "The United Nations is fully committed to implementing the grain export agreement across the Black Sea, as well as the agreement with Moscow," and urged "all parties to double their efforts to ensure full implementation." The UN statement noted that Ukraine had exported 25 million tons under the grain agreement, mostly corn and wheat, with the highest priority given to shipments directed to China, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the Netherlands.