Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has triggered a global food crisis with climate shocks and the coronavirus (COVID-19) further fanning it. The war is driving rising prices of fertilizer, fuel and food. Experts and international agencies have claimed that millions of people across the world are at risk of being driven into starvation unless action is taken.
On Wednesday (July 13), Russia and Ukraine made substantive progress in their first direct talks since March to discuss and tackle the ongoing global food crisis. The main cause is the block of the Black Sea used for grain exports.
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The United Nations and Turkish officials in Istanbul were involved in the crucial meeting, which took place behind closed doors and at an unknown location. The officials have agreed to meet again in Turkey next week.
The Turkish defence minister Hulusi Akar said that Russia and Ukraine have made enough progress in resolving their dispute. In a statement, Akar said: “It was agreed that the Russian and Ukrainian delegations should meet again in Turkey next week.”
Russia and Ukraine’s defence delegations agreed on “joint controls” at ports and on ways to “ensure the safety of the transfer routes” across the Black Sea, Akar said.
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He also hinted that a final agreement on releasing an estimated 20 to 25 million tonnes of grain could be announced next week.
Akar said, “At this meeting, which we will hold next week, all the details will be reviewed once again and the work we have done will be signed.
After the meeting, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said a “critical step forward” had been made toward reviving Ukrainian grain exports but cautioned that “more technical work will now be needed to materialize today’s progress”.
He told reporters in New York: “Next week, hopefully, we’ll be able to have a final agreement. But, as I said, we still need a lot of goodwill and commitments by all parties.”
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