Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said, in an interview with Al-Jazeera, today, Tuesday, that the work of the agreement on grain recently signed in Istanbul has already begun, and the departure of the first ship from Ukrainian ports will be announced soon.

Akar added that the ships loaded with grain will sail in the Black Sea towards Istanbul in a safe way, noting that the United Nations has provided its support since the beginning of the talks.

He explained that Ankara is working on a safe plan for transporting grain, and that the ships will be subject to inspection inside the Ukrainian ports, noting that representatives from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations are working to remove the first ship from the ports of Ukraine.

Akar said that representatives of Turkey and the United Nations will witness the inspection of ships in Ukraine, explaining that the Ukrainians will show them safe passages of mines for the exit of the ships.

Akar said that grain cargo ships will be subject to inspection inside Ukrainian ports (Anatolia)

no obstacles

The Turkish Defense Minister also told Al Jazeera that there are currently no obstacles to the grain agreement, and that Ankara expects the countries to fulfill their obligations, noting that the work of the grain agreement will continue for 120 days, and if no one objects to it, it will continue to work.

Akar revealed that his country is working to follow the grain agreement with a similar agreement to transfer fuel, which contributes to solving the global crisis, stressing that Turkey has always been pushing for a humanitarian truce between Russia and Ukraine.

On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara is waiting for all parties to abide by the agreement on transporting grain from Ukrainian ports, and to act according to the responsibilities it has taken upon themselves.

Erdogan stressed - in press statements - that the successful implementation of the plan will lead to the start of mitigating the effects of the global food crisis, and expressed Turkey's desire to avoid actions that violate the text and spirit of the Istanbul Agreement, warning of the impact of failure on all parties.

Last Friday, Russia and Ukraine signed in Istanbul, under Turkish mediation and UN sponsorship, an agreement to secure the removal of millions of tons of grain from Ukrainian ports.

The agreement is valid for 120 days, subject to extension, and allows the export of between 20 and 25 million tons of suspended grain in Ukraine.


secret preparations

In the same context, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Alexander Kobrakov said that he is waiting for the resumption of Ukrainian grain exports tomorrow, Wednesday, from the port of "Chernomorsk" in the southern Odessa province.

Kobrakov added that his country would stop grain exports when detecting any Russian threats to the course of ships in the Black Sea.

And the Russian bombing that targeted the port of Odessa a few days ago raised doubts about the possibility of implementing the Istanbul Agreement, which specified 3 Ukrainian ports through which grains are supposed to be exported.

For its part, the Ukrainian Southern Operations Command said that preparations in Odessa ports to start exporting are going well, but stressed that these preparations remain under a cover of secrecy in anticipation of a possible targeting by Russian forces of Ukrainian ports and facilities.

On the other hand, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that the Joint Coordination Center for the Grain Export Agreement has started its work in Istanbul.

The ministry said that the Russian delegation will arrive in Turkey to start working together with Turkey, Ukraine and the United Nations.

For his part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a joint press conference with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni that Moscow is taking all steps to re-export grain to the world.