A near-term breakthrough in negotiations to open the Black Sea ports of the war-torn country to crop exports was doubted by Ukraine’s top diplomat as concerns over a global food crisis grow.
Although it will be challenging to break the impasse, foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said that a number of logistical issues need to be resolved in talks mediated by Turkey and the UN between Ukraine and Russia. In contrast, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that a deal could be reached in a week to ten days, echoing media reports.
In a Tuesday interview at his office in Kyiv, Kuleba said, “We are just a few steps from the deal, but these steps are the most difficult. I’m not going to add my voice to the chorus of people who predict that the agreement will be finalized next week.
Since Ukraine is one of the biggest exporters of corn, wheat, and sunflower oil in the world, the blockade of its agricultural exports has sparked concerns about a rise in world hunger. The war has restricted its crop shipments to road, rail, and river to neighboring European Union countries, which has affected the dependence of nations across Asia and Africa in particular on its supplies.
According to Kuleba, discussions at the level of government agencies are focused on figuring out delivery schedules and security measures for cargo ships. According to Kuleba, negotiators have not yet come to an agreement on how to protect Odesa, the largest seaport in Ukraine, from Russian attack and foreign patrols protecting non-military cargo.
The minister emphasized the need for firm guarantees. “Those are the ones being worked out,” the speaker said.
Nevertheless, Kuleba expressed doubt that Moscow would be open to a deal given that its blockade gives it power over Ukraine. The Ukrainian government has accused Russian forces of stealing grain and metal shipments to harm both the economy and food security around the world.
They are delaying this because they don’t want to free our economy from this chokehold, according to Kuleba.
In his remarks in Ankara, Erdogan referred to the blockade as a “serious problem” and emphasized the need to finalize a deal. On Wednesday, the Turkish president will host President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia, where a food security crisis has worsened due to a shortage of wheat and flour sourced from Ukraine and imported from Turkey. Erdogan will meet with Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Thursday to discuss Malaysia’s request to import wheat flour from Turkey.
Kuleba said that troops defending Donbas in the coming months needed artillery and multiple-launch rocket systems, reinforcing Kyiv’s request for more heavy weapons from the US and EU allies. This week, after driving Ukrainian troops from their last stronghold, Russian forces took control of the eastern region of Luhansk.
Kuleba declared, “If Russia continues to dominate, it only means that we need more weapons.
