KYIV: Three grain ships set sail from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports on Tuesday in asign that a safe passage deal brokered by the UN and Turkiye was moving forward even after Russian President Putin said Moscow’s participation had been suspended.
It was unclear how long Ukraine’s shipments could proceed without Moscow’s cooperation, which made the announcement after blaming Ukraine for an attack on its Black Sea naval fleet. But Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is expected to speak to Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky about the deal, the Turkish foreign minister said on Tuesday.
The three shipswere sailing south toward Istanbul, according to VesselFinder. com and Ismini Palla, a UN spokeswoman. She said the Russian authorities had been notified of the departures.
Aid groups warned that Russia’s decision could worsen the situations for Yemen, Afghanistan and Somalia, but on Tuesday wheat prices, which had risen sharply, remained broadly flat.
Under the terms of the deal, empty ships are inspected in Istanbul before they depart for Ukraine to check they arenot carrying weapons. Once they leave, they go through Istanbul with grain, and are inspected again. In asign that the UN and Turkiye intend to press ahead for now without Russia, 46 empty vessels were inspected on Monday — after Russia’s announcement — and the ships were “cleared to sail”, Palla said.
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