Russian, Ukrainian militaries set to discuss grain exports

ISTANBUL (AP) — Military officials from Russia and Ukraine were set to hold their governments' first face-to-face talks in months Wednesday during a session in Istanbul devoted to a United Nations plan to export blocked Ukrainian grain to world markets through the Black Sea.

Turkish military officials and UN representatives also planned to participate in the discussion focused on finding a way to get millions of tons of grain sitting in silos amid the war in Ukraine shipped out of the country's ports toward the Mediterranean.

Ukraine is one of the world's largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but Russia's invasion and war disrupted production and halted shipments, endangering food supplies in many developing countries, especially in Africa, and contributing to higher prices.

Turkey has offered to provide safe Black Sea corridors and worked with the UN, Russia and Ukraine to reach an agreement.

The UN would establish a centre in Istanbul to control the shipments, Turkish officials have said.

Russian and Ukrainian officials have traded accusations over the stuck grain shipments, Moscow has said Ukraine's heavily mined ports are causing the delay.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged that Moscow wouldn't use the corridors to launch an attack if the sea mines were removed.

Ukrainian officials have blamed a Russian naval blockade for holding up exports and causing a global food crisis.

They remained sceptical of Putin's pledge not to take advantage of cleared Black Sea corridors to mount an attack, noting that he insisted at the beginning of the year he had no plans to invade Ukraine.

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