By Roya News,
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Monday that a crucial grain deal which he hails as providing “9.3 million tons of Ukrainian wheat in the service of the world” must be revived despite Russia suspending its participation, AFP reported.
“You are the closest witness of our efforts to deliver this wheat to countries facing the threat of starvation,” he added.
Turkey is “determined” to continue efforts to keep the Ukraine grain deal in force despite Russia suspending its participation, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday, AFP reported.
“Although Russia acts hesitantly… we will resolutely continue our efforts to serve humanity,” Erdogan said in a televised address, days after Moscow said it was suspending its participation in the deal negotiated by Turkey and the UN to export Ukrainian grain.
Russia on Saturday suspended its participation in a landmark agreement that allowed vital grain exports from Ukraine, blaming drone attacks on Russian ships in Crimea, AFP reported.
Russia made the announcement after its army accused Kyiv earlier Saturday of a “massive” drone attack on its Black Sea fleet, while Britain bluntly rejected Moscow’s claims its specialists were involved.
The Turkey and UN-brokered deal to unlock grain exports signed between Russia and Ukraine in July is critical to easing the global food crisis caused by the conflict.
The agreement already allowed more than nine million tonnes of Ukrainian grain to be exported and was due to be renewed on November 19.
“In light of the terrorist act carried out by the Kyiv regime with the participation of British experts against ships of the Black Sea fleet and civilian vessels involved in the security of grain corridors, Russia suspends its participation in the implementation of the agreement on the export of agricultural products from Ukrainian ports,” the Russian defense ministry said on Telegram.
Sevastopol in Crimea, which has been targeted several times in recent months, serves as the headquarters for the fleet and a logistical hub for operations in Ukraine.
The Russian army said to have “destroyed” nine aerial drones and seven maritime ones, in an attack in the port early Saturday.
