Ukraine has asked the United Nations and Türkiye to extend the Black Sea Grain Deal for at least one year, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Yuriy Vaskov, said on qatari-state TV channel Al Jazeera.
Vaskov pointed out that Ukraine wants from its international partners, the UN and Turkiye, to approve the agreement term for at least a year, and not for 120 days, as it is now, because the world market needs an extended planning horizon.
The Ukrainian minister added that the negotiations between Ukraine, UN and Turkiye continue on this issue.
In July 2022, the Black Sea Grain Deal allowed grain to be exported from three Ukrainian ports. The agreement was extended in November and will expire on March 18, unless a new extension is agreed.
Vaskov also blamed Russia for violating international shipping and as he said Ukraine calls on the international community to intervene and restore the free shipping.
It is worth mentioning that over 18m tonnes of food have been shipped from Ukraine under the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Ukraine supplied 45m tonnes of grain to global markets before the Russian invasion. United Nations and Türkiye helped the Ukraine export of grain through the Black Sea Ports.
