Ukraine news - live: Russia and Kyiv sign grain export deal vital to avert global food crisis
The UN and Turkey hailed the deal as a ‘beacon of hope’ for billions of people facing famine
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Moscow and Kyiv signed a UN-brokered deal today to resume Ukrainian grain exports to help ease the global food crisis amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
At the signing in Istanbul, Russian and Ukrainian government ministers signed the deal separately, did not sit at the same table, and avoided shaking hands.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the deal that he helped oversee – to restore exports to the pre-war level of 5 million tonnes a month – would be central to alleviating hunger in developing countries.
He said the deal would “prevent billions of people from facing famine”, while UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres – who also oversaw the agreement – hailed it as a “beacon of hope”.
The UN expects the deal to be fully operational in a few weeks. Under the plan, Ukrainian officials will guide ships through safe channels across mine-ridden waters to three ports in the Black Sea, including the hub of Odesa.
The ships will then be loaded with grain before they exit Ukrainian territorial waters, enter the Bosphorus strait to a Turkish port for inspection, and later head to their destinations.
That’s it for today’s updates on Ukraine. Thanks for following.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments