Turkish sources, exported 13 million tons of grain through the Black Sea

ANKARA - Turkey's Defense Ministry announced that the grain deal has already enabled the export of more than 13 million tons of products from Ukrainian ports.

Also according to the source, a total of 524 ships were able to transit through the Black Sea after the Turkish-brokered deal. “Grain shipments from Ukraine’s ports continue. The amount of grain transported exceeds thirteen million tons,” the Turkish Defense Ministry wrote in a message posted on Twitter.

The agreement reached on July 22 by Russia and Ukraine with the mediation of the UN and Turkey allowed the resumption of grain transit from three Ukrainian ports after months of blockade. This is not a bilateral agreement, but an agreement between Ukraine on the one hand and Turkey and the UN on the other, and a second mirror agreement signed between Russia and Turkey and the UN. The text allows the export of grain and fertilizer from Odessa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhne on ships that are inspected by Turkey and then transit through authorized corridors. Russia in return can export food, fertilizer and raw materials under an agreement signed with the United Nations.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, the Turkish president’s spokesman announced his country’s efforts to work for the resumption of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. According to Tass news agency, Ibrahim Kalin, speaking to Al Jazeera’s Qatari television reporter at a meeting at Bilkent University in Ankara on Sunday, said his country would continue its efforts to ensure that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine continue. Kalin added that given the current situation, it is unlikely that peace talks will be held in the near future, but this is still possible and they are working on it.

According to Kalin, Turkey has close relations with Russia and Ukraine and is not interested in seeing the war in Ukraine continue. He described peace and stability in the region as for the benefit of all countries and stressed his country’s efforts to achieve this goal. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Cavusoglu also warned against the danger of a decades-long war, saying, “This war will definitely end at the negotiating table. We do not believe that this confrontation will end through military successes on the ground.” According to Cavusoglu, Russia and Ukraine were close to a cease-fire at talks in Istanbul in the spring of 2022 before they left the negotiating table.