Russia says its proposals on Kyiv's grain exports got support from all parties concerned

Russian Defence Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov has said that Russia's proposals to resume Ukrainian grain exports in Istanbul have received "general support" from other participants of the discussion. Konashenkov has stressed that Russia has proposed measures to ensure the transportation of food supplies, including by Russian partners, Sputnik reported. He underscored that Russia has proposed to not supply weapons or military equipment to Ukraine in the transportation through shipping routes to stop "provocations."

The statement of Konshenkov comes after the delegations of Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations held a meeting on 13 July, to hold discussions regarding the resumption of the supply of Ukrainian grains via the Black Sea. Igor Konashenkov stressed that the work on documents regarding the Black Sea initiative will be completed in the "near future," as per the news report. The Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said that the officials of respective countries agreed to set up a coordination centre in Istanbul to resume the export of Ukrainian grains. He said that the officials of Russia and Ukraine would hold a meeting in Turkey next week to review the details of the deal and sign the agreement. A source familiar with the matter told Sputnik that the next round of talks between the nations will take place on July 20 or 21. 

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Notably, Ukraine has been accusing Russian armed forces of blocking their ports and halting the export of Ukrainian grains. The US and its allies have also blamed Russia for blocking Ukrainian grain and called on Moscow to end the blockade. Hulusi Akar said that the officials of the respective countries reached a consensus on having "joint control" of vessels as the shipment enters and leaves the Black Sea ports and the safety of transit routes, according to AP.

According to Akar, the parties at the meeting were willing to resolve the issue. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that both parties have taken a "critical step forward" to resume the export of grains from Ukrainian ports, according to AP. He added that "more technical work" will be required to sign the agreement between Russia and Ukraine. Guterres stressed that the nations made "very substantive progress" in the process of resuming the safe export of food supplies through the Black Sea. 

(With inputs from AP, Image: AP)