A deal to allow vital grain exports to continue from Ukraine’s southern Black Sea ports has been extended for another four months, calming worries over the world’s food supply as inflation fears soar.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday that the deal would continue for 120 days with Kyiv and Moscow’s approval. It was due to expire on Saturday.
“I welcome the agreement by all parties to continue the Black Sea grain initiative to facilitate the safe navigation of export of grain, foodstuffs and fertilisers from Ukraine,” Guterres said in a statement.
He said the UN was also “fully committed to removing the remaining obstacles to exporting food and fertilisers from the Russian Federation” – a part of the deal Moscow sees as critical.
Oleksandr Kubrakov, Ukraine’s infrastructure minister, hailed the extension as an “important step in the global fight against the food crisis”.
Maria Zakharova, Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman, said Moscow agreed to stick with the deal “without changes in terms or scope”.
Russia pulled out from the pact in late October, citing safety concerns after an attack on its Black Sea fleet, before rejoining days later.
