UPDATE - UN, EU welcome agreement to continue Black Sea grain deal

UPDATES WITH QUOTES FROM EU OFFICIALS, TURKISH PRESIDENT, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT; REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Burak Bir and Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - The UN chief and top EU officials on Thursday welcomed the agreement reached by parties to continue the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

"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 fertilizers from Ukraine," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a tweet.

"The initiative demonstrates the importance of discreet diplomacy in finding multilateral solutions," he added.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Guterres on the development.

"Together with EU Solidarity Lanes the UN Black Sea Grain Initiative helps avoid global food shortages and bring down food prices despite Russia’s war," she added on Twitter.

Commending the efforts, European Council President Charles Michel called the agreement "good news" for a world that badly needs access to grain and fertilizers.

On early Thursday, Erdogan announced that the grain deal has been extended for another four months.

"In accordance with the resolution reached by Türkiye, the UN, the Russian Federation, and Ukraine, the Black Sea Grain Initiative was extended for an additional 120 days beginning November 19, 2022, as a result of the quadrilateral discussions hosted by Türkiye," he said on Twitter.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine together with Guterres and Erdogan made a key decision in the global fight against the food crisis.

On July 22, Türkiye, the UN, Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which had been paused in February due to Russia’s war on Ukraine.

The parties were negotiating a possible extension and expansion beyond its Nov. 19 deadline.

More than 10 million tons of grain have been exported from Ukraine since Aug. 1, according to the UN.