A deal that allows Ukrainian grain exports to pass through the blockaded Black Sea has been extended by 60 days, Russian state media reported Friday.
The pact, which was initially broker by the United Nations and Turkey last July to help ease a global food crisis, had been due to expire on May 18.
“The deal, I think, will be extended for 60 days, but Russia may agree to this for the last time,” a source familiar with the negotiations told state news agency TASS.
This comes after two days of talks in Istanbul between Turkish, Russian, Ukrainian and U.N. delegations on rolling over the Black Sea grain deal ended on Thursday.
“The Ukrainian delegation emphasized the importance of extending and expanding the grain initiative for a longer period to provide assurance and confidence to both the global and domestic markets,” Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said on Facebook after the talks.
At the meeting, the U.N.’s Martin Griffiths praised the Black Sea deal’s facilitation of more than 30 million tons of Ukrainian exports and said the parties to the deal had agreed to “engage” in further talks on reopening a Russian ammonia export pipeline, extending the deal and improving joint ship inspections.
“The United Nations will continue to work closely with all sides to achieve the continuation and full implementation of the Initiative,” the U.N. said in a statement.
