Kiev proposes to extend the grain agreement indefinitely

On Saturday, Ukraine expressed its support for the expansion of the grain corridor agreement in the Black Sea for “at least 120 days or for an indefinite period.”

This came in a speech delivered by Ukraine’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Sergei Kislitsa, during a session of the UN Security Council in New York City, with the aim of evaluating the grain corridor agreement, which will expire on Saturday.

Kislitsia said that he “proposes to extend the Black Sea Grain initiative after its expiration on March 18, for at least 120 days, as stipulated, or for an indefinite period.”

And he noted: “We ideally hope to extend the historic agreement indefinitely to continue grain exports from 3 Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea, which had been suspended after the war launched by Russia against his country in February 2022.”

The Ukrainian envoy added, “We also propose to expand the scope of work of the agreement to also include Ukrainian ports in the Mykolaiv region, in the south of the country.”

During the same session, Martin Griffiths, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations for Humanitarian Affairs and Coordinator of Emergency Aid, announced that they are doing everything possible to keep the grain corridor agreement in place.

This came during his assessment of the grain corridor agreement, which will expire on Saturday, in a session of the UN Security Council.

He added, “The United Nations, led by its Secretary-General António Guterres, is doing its best to continue the Black Sea Grain Initiative.” Stressing that they will continue to establish close relations with all parties.

On July 22, 2022, Istanbul witnessed the signing of the “Initiative Document for Safe Shipping of Grains and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian Ports” between Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations.

The agreement included securing stranded grain exports in Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea (eastern Europe) to address the global food shortage, which threatens a humanitarian catastrophe.

The agreement ends today, Saturday, which was extended for a period of 120 days, starting from November 19, 2022.