Russian FM Lavrov in Turkey for talks on Ukraine grain exports

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Ankara on Wednesday to hold talks with Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on a plan that would allow Ukraine to export its grain through the Black Sea to global markets amid an escalating food crisis.

Ukraine is one of the world's largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but the war and a Russian blockade of its ports have halted much of that flow, endangering world food supplies to many developing countries.

Many of those ports are now also heavily mined.

An estimated 22 million tons of grains are sitting in silos in Ukraine.

Turkey is involved in efforts for the establishment of a U.N.-led mechanism that would create a secure corridor for the shipment of the Ukrainian grain and for Russia to export food and fertilizer.

Turkey would facilitate and protect the transport of the grain in the Black Sea, Turkish officials have said.

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said Tuesday that technical details were still being worked out.