U.N.-brokered Black Sea grain deal extended for at least two months

A wartime agreement with Russia has been extended for at least 60 days to continue allowing Ukraine's grain shipments to sail on the Black Sea and on to foreign ports, helping to curb hunger and high food prices.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative, a United Nations-brokered agreement signed between the world body, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey on July 22, 2022, has been extended once again after negotiations among the parties, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres' office announced Saturday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in televised comments while announcing the deal that the food carried by 800 ships out of the Black Sea so far "is of vital importance for the stability of the global food supply."

The U.N. said the agreement – which allows for the safe export of grain and related foodstuffs and fertilizers, including ammonia, from designated Ukrainian seaports – has allowed 25 million metric tons of grain and foodstuffs to go to 45 countries.

An extension of 60 or 120 days more

Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said the deal, which would have expired Sunday, was extended for 120 days, but Russia said it had agreed only to 60 days more.

Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Russia’s state-run news agency Tass that "we repeat once again. Russia agreed to extend the deal for 60 days."

None of the other participants in the deal provided more clarity.

"The Black Sea Grain Initiative, alongside the Memorandum of Understanding on promoting Russian food products and fertilizers to the world markets, are critical for global food security, especially for developing countries," Guterres' office said.

"We remain strongly committed to both agreements," it said, "and we urge all sides to redouble their efforts to implement them fully."

In November, Guterres had announced a four-month extension of the deal.