Reuters. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu arrived in Istanbul on Friday (July 22), where Russia and Ukraine will later sign a deal to facilitate grain exports.
Shoigu will also hold a bilateral meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar, the RIA Novosti news agency reported, citing Russia's defence ministry.
The Turkish government said yesterday that Russia and Ukraine would sign a deal on grain supplies in Istanbul, with the participation of Turkish President Erdogan and U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
More than 20 million tonnes of grain has been trapped in southern Ukraine since Russia deployed tens of thousands of troops to the country on February 24, with a de facto blockade of the Black Sea resulting in Ukraine's exports dropping to a sixth of their prewar level.
Full details of the accord were not immediately released. But Russian state news agency TASS, citing an unnamed source, reported that three Ukrainian ports including the country's biggest export hub Odesa would be reopened.
Diplomats said last week details of the plan included Ukrainian vessels guiding grain ships through mined waters, with Turkey overseeing inspections of ships to allay Russian concerns that shipments might be used to smuggle weapons to Ukraine.
