THE United Nations, Turkey and Ukraine pressed ahead to implement a Black Sea grain deal and agreed on a transit plan for 16 vessels to move forward, despite Russia's withdrawal, reports Reuters.
Russia, which invaded Ukraine on February 24, ended its role in the Black Sea deal for an 'indefinite term,' cutting shipments from one of the world's top grain exporters, because it said it could not 'guarantee safety of civilian ships' after an attack on its Black Sea fleet.
The move has sparked an outcry from Ukraine, NATO, the European Union and the United States, while the United Nations and Turkey, two main brokers of the July deal, scrambled to save it.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was deeply concerned about Russia's move and delayed a foreign trip to try and revive the agreement that was intended to ease a global food crisis.
Following Russia's move, Chicago wheat futures jumped more than five per cent as both Russia and Ukraine are among the world's largest wheat exporters, analysts said.
More than 9.5 million tonnes of corn, wheat, sunflower products, barley, rapeseed and soy have been exported since July. Under the deal, a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) - made up of UN, Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian officials - agrees on the movement of ships and inspects the vessels.
No ships moved through the established maritime humanitarian corridor on Sunday. But the United Nations said in a statement that it had agreed with Ukraine and Turkey on a movement plan for 16 vessels on Monday - 12 outbound and four inbound.
A vessel carrying 30,000 tonnes of wheat chartered by the UN Food Programme and intended for emergency response in the Horn of Africa was among those near the three Ukrainian ports, according to the UN.
'We are ready to release this ship into the sea,' he said, but like other ships with agricultural products, it was being forced to wait, 'because Russia is blackmailing the world with hunger'.
SeaNews Turkey
Russia, which invaded Ukraine on February 24, ended its role in the Black Sea deal for an 'indefinite term,' cutting shipments from one of the world's top grain exporters, because it said it could not 'guarantee safety of civilian ships' after an attack on its Black Sea fleet.
The move has sparked an outcry from Ukraine, NATO, the European Union and the United States, while the United Nations and Turkey, two main brokers of the July deal, scrambled to save it.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was deeply concerned about Russia's move and delayed a foreign trip to try and revive the agreement that was intended to ease a global food crisis.
Following Russia's move, Chicago wheat futures jumped more than five per cent as both Russia and Ukraine are among the world's largest wheat exporters, analysts said.
More than 9.5 million tonnes of corn, wheat, sunflower products, barley, rapeseed and soy have been exported since July. Under the deal, a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) - made up of UN, Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian officials - agrees on the movement of ships and inspects the vessels.
No ships moved through the established maritime humanitarian corridor on Sunday. But the United Nations said in a statement that it had agreed with Ukraine and Turkey on a movement plan for 16 vessels on Monday - 12 outbound and four inbound.
A vessel carrying 30,000 tonnes of wheat chartered by the UN Food Programme and intended for emergency response in the Horn of Africa was among those near the three Ukrainian ports, according to the UN.
'We are ready to release this ship into the sea,' he said, but like other ships with agricultural products, it was being forced to wait, 'because Russia is blackmailing the world with hunger'.
SeaNews Turkey