A common line, but each on his side. Ukraine and Russia signed with Turkey and the United Nations on Friday July 22 in Istanbul two separate agreements on the export of agricultural products via the Black Sea. kyiv had refused to sign the text directly with Moscow, which therefore committed to an identical agreement with Ankara and the Secretary General of the United Nations.
Under this agreement, “safe corridors” allow the circulation of merchant ships in the Black Sea, “both parties have pledged not to attack”, according to a United Nations official who requested anonymity. Faced with the risk of mines, mainly laid by the Ukrainians to protect their coasts, “Ukrainian pilots” pave the way for cargo ships in territorial waters.
Inspections of ships departing from and heading to Ukrainian ports will take place under the control of a multi-party coordination center in one of the ports of Istanbul. This is to respond to the concerns of Moscow, which wants to have the guarantee that the cargo ships will not bring arms to Ukraine.
Ukraine has suggested that its exports start from three ports (Odessa, Pivdenny and Chornomorsk) and hopes to be able to increase their number in the future. The agreement will be valid for “120 days”the time to get out the 25 million tons piled up in the silos of Ukraine, while a new harvest is approaching.
In exchange, Russia notably obtained the guarantee that Western sanctions would not apply, either directly or indirectly, to its own exports of agricultural products and fertilizers.
This agreement, fiercely negotiated since April at the instigation of the UN, will relieve the countries dependent on the Russian and Ukrainian markets, which together represent 30% of the world wheat trade. Now the deal “must be fully implemented”, warned the UN Secretary General, Antonio Gueterres. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he hopes that this signature “strengthens the hope of ending this war”.
Unprecedented between these countries at war, the signing ceremony took place under the flags of the protagonists, those of Russia and Ukraine remaining carefully separated by the blue banners of the UN and red of Turkey, which offered as a mediator since the start of the Russian invasion.