Ukraine and Russia have signed a deal to allow much-needed exports grain to resume Ukraine's Black Sea ports. The resumption should ease a world shortage wheat that has left millions people in Africa and India risk of hunger. Russia's invasion Ukraine has also resulted a global rise in food prices. Millions of tons of grain are currently waiting export at ports. The deal to allow exports should ease the pressure food prices. Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov signed the deal a ceremony in Istanbul. Turkey's President Erdogan helped to broker the agreement.
The sides took two months to reach the deal, intensive negotiations. It is set to last 120 days. Ukraine has warned that any Russian provocation could put the deal jeopardy. This has already been tested after Russian forces attacked the Black Sea port Odesa within 24 hours the deal being penned. Mr Shoigu told reporters that the deal might facilitate the export more products. He said: "I'm not talking beginning only the export of agricultural products from Ukrainian ports, but also the export of agricultural products and fertiliser Russian ports." The US said more exports were needed, "to prevent the world's most vulnerable sliding deeper food insecurity and malnutrition."
