Blinken Says Vital to Sustain Black Sea Grain Agreement Through End of Ukraine Conflict

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - It is vital that the United Nations- and Turkey-brokered agreement to secure grain exports from Russia and Ukraine via the Black Sea be maintained through the prospective end of the conflict in the latter, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday.

"One of the things that we are spending a lot of focus and time on here this week [at the UN General Assembly] is the challenge of food insecurity," Blinken said. "But one of the positive elements that we’ve seen with the agreement to allow the export of grains and food from Odessa in Ukraine has been improvement in food reaching people, including one of the ships in the Black Sea going to Yemen. So, it’s vital that we sustain this agreement that the ships keep flowing, even as we work, of course, to end Russian aggression."

In late July, the United Nations and Turkey signed an agreement with Russia and Ukraine to ensure a Black Sea maritime corridor for the shipment of grain and fertilizer. The agreement removed various restrictions on the export of Russian agricultural products to global markets and set guidelines for the export of Ukrainian goods from three Black Sea ports.

On Monday, six grain ships left Ukrainian ports as per the agreement, according to the Turkish Defense Ministry.

Russia has claimed that the first stipulation of the agreement has yet to be implemented. The United Nations is working hard to remove obstacles to Russian food and fertilizer exports through engagement with EU leaders, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in an interview with RIA Novosti.