Turkish, Russian, Ukrainian, UN technical personnel to discuss grain deal

By Sarp Ozer

KAYSERI, Türkiye (AA) - Technical personnel from Türkiye, Russia, Ukraine and the UN will meet Friday in Istanbul to discuss the Black Sea grain deal, which is set to expire later this month, said the Turkish defense minister.

"Before the meeting of the deputy (defense) ministers, it became necessary to hold a meeting with technical personnel from the UN, Türkiye, Russia and Ukraine,” Hulusi Akar said Thursday.

"This meeting will be held tomorrow. After this meeting, there will be a meeting of the deputy ministers next week," Akar said in the province of Kayseri in central Türkiye.

Türkiye, the UN, Russia and Ukraine signed a deal in Istanbul last July to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports which were paused after the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022.

The deal is set to expire on May 18.

"We continue our efforts to speed up our negotiations as much as possible before this period expires and to ensure that this will continue without causing any disruptions," Akar added.

*Writing by Diyar Guldogan in Ankara