On July 23rd, Russia and Ukraine made a U.N.-led agreement with Turkey to allow the safe export of Ukrainian grains, Russian grains, and fertilisers through three key ports, Odesa, Chernomorsk, and Yuzhny, around the Black Sea. Since the beginning of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War, 22 million tonnes of grains and agricultural products have been stored in silos ready to be exported to Ukraine.

During the ceremony in Istanbul, Sergei Shoigu, Russian Minister of Defence, and Oleksandr Kubrakov, Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure, signed the deal separately with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan present as a witness. The most important part of the deal is a mutual agreement between Russia and Ukraine promising that there will be no military attacks on any vessels. The pact guarantees a safe passage to ships. At the same time, a coordination centre is also to be created in Istanbul, where officials from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, and the U.N. can monitor ships and the export process through the agreed-upon channels.

Ukraine is one of the largest exporters of essential agricultural products, including wheat, corn, and sunflower oil, and the current war and related naval blockades have halted shipment. As an alternative, some Ukrainian grain was being exported worldwide through Europe by rail, road, and river but this has not been enough. Consequently, over the past six months, food prices have increased by 187 percent in Sudan, 86 percent in Syria, 60 percent in Yemen, and 54 percent in Ethiopia. Guterres expected that this deal “will help stabilise global food prices, which were already at record levels even before the war – a true nightmare for developing countries.”

Guterres commented that this agreement is “a beacon of hope, a beacon of possibility, a beacon of relief in a world that needs it more than ever.” He referred to the people who had suffered from hunger due to increased food cuts. Robert Mardini, Red Cross Director-General, mentioned that “a deal that allows the grain to leave Black Sea ports is nothing short of lifesaving for people worldwide who are struggling to feed their families.”

The United Kingdom and the European Union were big supporters who welcomed the agreement. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss applauded the effort of Turkey and the U.N. for their arbitration by saying, “we will be watching to ensure Russia’s actions match its words.” She further added that “to enable a lasting return to global security and economic stability, Putin must end the war and withdraw from Ukraine.” Josep Borrell, E.U. foreign policy chief, said that “this is a critical step forward in efforts to overcome the global food insecurity caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine… [and] its success will depend on the swift and good faith implementation of today’s agreement.”

The agreement aimed for five million tons of grains to be exported per month to empty silos for the new harvest, and it is renewable every 120 days. Around ten days after are expected to be needed to get Ukrainian ports ready and to overhaul the safe pathway, still, it will take a few more weeks to fully implement the changes in export. Considering that before the agreement, the Russian and Ukrainian governments experienced a power struggle and criticised the opposite side on the blockage of grain shipment, this agreement has opened the door to continuing peace. Furthermore, it is a hopeful sign for developing countries and people in food shortage crises. The real question now is whether or not the pact will be implemented properly and correctly.