Russia and Ukraine will sign a deal on Friday to reopen Ukraine’s Black Sea ports for grain exports, Turkey said, raising hopes that an international food crisis aggravated by Russia’s invasion can be eased.
Ukraine and Russia, both among the world’s biggest exporters of food, did not immediately confirm Thursday’s announcement by the office of the Turkish presidency. But in a late-night video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hinted that his country’s Black Sea ports could soon be unblocked.
The blockade by Russia’s Black Sea fleet has worsened global supply chain disruptions and, along with Western sanctions imposed on Moscow, stoked high inflation in food and energy prices since Russian forces swept into Ukraine on Feb. 24.
Full details of the deal were not immediately released. It was due to be signed at 1330 GMT on Friday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s office said.  U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was heading to Turkey.
Zelenskiy, whose address focused mainly on Ukrainian forces’ potential to make gains on the battlefield, said: “And tomorrow we also expect news for our state from Turkey – regarding the unblocking of our ports.”
‘PACKAGE’ DEAL
Moscow has denied responsibility for the worsening food crisis, blaming instead a chilling effect from Western sanctions for slowing its own food and fertiliser exports and Ukraine for mining its Black Sea ports.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Washington would focus on holding Moscow accountable for carrying out the agreement.
The United Nations and Turkey have been working for two months to broker what Guterres called a “package” deal – to restore Ukraine’s Black Sea grain exports while facilitating Russian grain and fertiliser shipments.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the 27-nation European Union had proposed to ease some earlier sanctions in a bid to safeguard global food security, and Moscow hoped this would create conditions for the unhindered export of grain and fertilisers.
