Ukraine Russia grain deal.

Ukraine Russia grain deal.

The Ukraine Russia grain deal is now given an operational extension for 2 months (60 calendar days). An agreement allowing Ukrainian grain exports to ship through the Black Sea to help ease global hunger has been extended for two months just a day before its expiration — overcoming Russia’s threats to pull out of the deal.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the extension of the United Nations-backed Black Sea Grain Initiative, which is aimed at easing global hunger, on Wednesday.

“With the efforts of our country, the support of our Russian friends and contribution of our Ukrainian friends, the Black Sea Grain Initiative has been extended by another two months.” said by the Turkish president.Ukraine Russia grain deal.

Russian and Ukrainian government officials also confirmed the deal’s extension.

“Moscow agreed to the extension of the grain deal, given that it is counting on problems with the Russian portion of the agreement to be resolved,” Russian Ambassador to the U.N.

Meanwhile, Oleksandr Kubrakov, who serves as Ukraine’s deputy prime minister and minister of development and infrastructure,  wrote “The world will continue to receive Ukrainian goods, thanks to the efforts of our partners, Turkey and the U.N.,”

But he said Russia must stop using food “as a weapon and for blackmail.”

U.S. national-security adviser Jake Sullivan echoed that sentiment, saying that the world needs more certainty from Russia about the crucial food supply chain.

“It’s a good thing that it has been extended,” Sullivan said of the agreement. “Unfortunately, Russia continues even in a moment of extension to rhetorically hold it hostage in various ways, to suggest its days are numbered.”

Russia has claimed that obstacles remain to its food exports and repeatedly threatened to withdraw from the agreement, which was originally reached in July to allow Ukrainian grain exports amid fears of a global food crisis when major Ukrainian ports were blocked by Moscow’s warships. A parallel memorandum on unhindered Russian food and fertilizer exports was signed at the same time.

The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that it agreed to the extension but said “disparities” needed to be fixed in the implementation of the deal.

“Our main assessment of the 2022 Istanbul agreements have not changed. Disparities in their implementation should be corrected as quickly as possible,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Russia’s ambassador to the UN said Moscow still hopes obstacles to its own grain and fertilizer exports can be overcome.

“We still do not lose hope that the problems that we are raising will be sorted out,” Vasily Nebenzia told reporters. “The sooner the better.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the agreement on the extension but stressed the need for a more comprehensive, longer-term deal.

“These agreements matter for global food security; Ukrainian and Russian products feed the world,” Guterres said. “Looking ahead, we hope that exports of food and fertilizers, including ammonia, from the Russian Federation and Ukraine will be able to reach global supply chains safely and predictably.”