Turkey says first Ukrainian grain ship could depart on Monday: ‘There are a few problems, some issues are being discussed with the Russians’

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said the ship was the first to export grain from Ukraine since an agreement was reached on the safe transportation of ships.

“There are some problems, some problems are being discussed with the Russians,” Kalin said in an interview with Kanal 7 TV channel on Sunday, adding that the ships will begin to depart. Tuesday at the latest.”

More than a week after Russia and Ukraine reached an agreement to release millions of tons of grain through three Black Sea ports, no ships have set sail.

On Friday, Ukraine said it was close to starting to restart shipments, although the timing involved receiving progress from the United Nations, which joins Turkey as a signatory to the date agreement. 22/7. The UN declined to specify a date.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited the Black Sea port of Chornomorsk on Friday, where he witnessed grain being loaded onto a Turkish ship.

Ukraine is one of the world’s largest suppliers of wheat, corn and vegetable oils, and crop markets are closely watching specific moves to unlock Ukrainian ports.

While there is growing progress – Ukraine’s Port Authority has previously told companies that a test boat will soon set sail and a group of insurers has set up a program food cargo coverage from Ukraine – traders and exporters are still waiting for information on how and when the train will depart and arrive.

Ship owners face a multitude of challenges, including recruiting crews to operate the ships as safety concerns remain. A Russian attack on the Odesa seaport with cruise missiles hours after the signing of the agreement also raised questions about the country’s commitment.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar over the weekend met with Ukraine’s defense and infrastructure head to discuss the latest situation on restarting exports, the Turkish Defense Ministry said. . Twitter.