Türkiye Seeks Revival of Black Sea Grain Initiative Amid Ongoing Conflict

Türkiye's foreign minister Hakan Fidan announced on Monday that his country has drawn up a plan to restore safe grain shipments through the Black Sea. The plan aims to revive the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which allowed Ukrainian agricultural exports to continue during Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

The initiative was brokered by Türkiye and the United Nations, and it established a protected maritime corridor for Ukrainian grain shipments departing from the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdennyi. Over 30 million metric tons of grain and other food products were exported under the initiative, stabilizing global food prices and supplying markets in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

Russia withdrew from the agreement in July 2023, citing unfulfilled commitments to facilitate its own agricultural exports, especially fertilizer. Fidan said that Ankara is seeking an agreement similar to the original deal and is discussing the proposal with both Moscow and Kyiv.