Russia’s Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu has traveled to Turkey to attend the signing of an agreement on facilitating grain export Friday, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a daily briefing.
“Yes, we can confirm that Defense Minister Shoigu went to Turkey. We can confirm that an agreement is being prepared to be signed today,” Peskov said.
Asked about the importance of striking this deal for Russia, Peskov referred to President Vladimir Putin’s earlier statement about the food crisis.
“President Putin has said that against the backdrop of the food crisis that is looming, it is very important to unblock the supply routes to world markets — fertilizers, food and grain,” Peskov said.
According to the Kremlin, it is a “relatively small amount” of Ukrainian grain. “But still, it is very important that this grain gets to the world markets, and that the indirect restrictions that apply to our goods also allow the market to receive additional volumes of fertilizers, grain, etc.,” he added.
Russian and Ukrainian delegations, mediated by Turkey and the UN, are expected to sign the agreement on grain exports. From the Ukrainian side, Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov will be attending the signing in Istanbul, his press office confirmed to CNN.
