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ISTANBUL, June 22, 2022 (AFP) – A Turkish cargo ship on Wednesday left Ukraine’s Russian-occupied port of Mariupol after a spherical of “constructive” grain talks with Moscow, Turkey’s defence ministry mentioned, with out specifying if it was carrying wheat.
“The assembly in Moscow gave its first concrete end result,” the Turkish ministry mentioned in an announcement.
“Only a few hours after the tip of the lengthy assembly, the Turkish dry cargo ship, which had been ready for days, left the Ukrainian port.”
The assertion added that the Azov Harmony grew to become the primary overseas ship to depart the port in Mariupol — a metropolis devastated by a weeks-long siege Ukrainian officers estimate claimed 20,000 lives — since Russia’s invasion in February.
Turkey has been spearheading efforts to renew grain deliveries throughout the Black Sea which were stalled by minefields and a Russian navy blockade of Ukrainian ports.
The assembly between Turkish generals and their Russian counterparts in Moscow reached “an understanding for future negotiations between Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and the UN”, the Turkish assertion mentioned.
“On this context, it was determined {that a} four-way assembly ought to be held in Turkey within the coming weeks, after a gathering with the Ukrainian facet and the UN,” mentioned the defence ministry.
Turkish media had earlier reported that the four-way grain talks can be held in Istanbul subsequent week.
Moscow denies blocking the passage of cargo ships loaded with Ukrainian grain and blames Western sanctions towards Russia for contributing to the meals disaster.
A Russian defence ministry assertion concerning the assembly famous no discernible progress.
“The events mentioned the protected exit of Turkish service provider ships and the export of grain from Ukrainian ports, in addition to approaches to making sure protected navigation within the Black Sea,” the Russian assertion mentioned.
Thousands and thousands of tonnes of wheat and different grains are presently caught in Ukrainian and Russian-occupied ports.
The disaster has seen meals costs soar and contributed to the worldwide spike in inflation.
The United Nations warns that it’s affecting poorer African nations essentially the most due to their heavy dependence on Russian and Ukrainian wheat.
zak/imm
© Agence France-Presse
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