Sources in Ukrainian government reveal details of Ukrainian grain export deal
The grain agreement, to be signed by Ukraine, Turkey, and the UN Secretary-General on July 22 in Istanbul, will be called "Initiative for safe transportation of grain and food products from Ukrainian ports," will establish control over ports in Ukraine and will not weaken sanctions against russia.
Ukrainian Pravda reports, citing sources in Ukraine's government.
According to sources, the document will be signed by Ukraine's Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov, Turkey's Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
The UP source emphasized that Ukraine would not sign any document with russia.
The initiative, which will be signed by representatives of Turkey, the UN, and Ukraine, must be approved by the Cabinet of Ministers and made public.
The same document must be signed separately by the representatives of Turkey, the UN, and russia.
The "initiative" provides that the control over the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Yuzhnyi was and remains entirely with the Ukrainian side. No vessels other than those intended to export grain and related food products and fertilizers are expected to be in these ports.
UP sources emphasized that no other annexes and closed documents existed except the "Initiative."
Also, the document does not provide any easing of sanctions against russia, even though the russians have repeatedly tried to prescribe it.
The VOA has reported UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as saying that there is "broad agreement" on a deal between russia and Ukraine, with Turkey and the United Nations, to export millions of tons of Ukrainian grain stuck in silos since russia's blockade of Black Sea ports with the start of invasion on February 24.
"Today is an important and substantive step. A step on the way to a comprehensive agreement," Guterres said on Wednesday.
As the Guardian reported earlier, on Thursday, the Turkish president's office said the parties had reached an agreement during talks in Istanbul last week, and now they would put the details in writing. The deal is to be signed on Friday at the Dolmabahce Palace offices.
İbrahim Kalın, a spokesperson for Turkish President Erdoğan, said the arrangement, when signed, would be "critical for global grain security."
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