Various parties welcomed the departure of the first cargo ship loaded with Ukrainian grain after months of interruption due to the war between Moscow and Kiev, while Washington announced a new batch of military aid to Ukraine.
The first ship loaded with grain left the Ukrainian port of Odessa today, Monday, since it was halted due to the war, and raised the flag of Sierra Leone, and will head to Lebanon.
The Turkish Ministry of Defense stated - in a statement - that this step comes within the framework of the Turkish side's contacts with ministers and relevant parties and intensive work.
For its part, the Ukrainian army confirmed the departure of the ship "Razoni" from the port of Odessa.
Other ships are scheduled to leave within the framework of the specified corridors and procedures, and other food shipments will continue.
A rest day for the world
For his part, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba described the departure of the first ship loaded with grain from the port of Odessa after months of the Russian blockade as a day of rest for the world, especially for Ukraine's friends in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
And he said in a tweet on Twitter that Ukraine will remain a reliable partner as it was, if Russia adheres to its role in the agreement.
Ukraine is a major exporter of grain to various regions of the world, especially Africa (Anatolia).
In turn, the Kremlin described the exit of the first ship carrying Ukrainian grain from the port of Odessa as a positive and a good opportunity to test the implementation of the Istanbul agreements.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia hopes to implement all agreements related to the export of grain by all parties, and hopes that the implementation mechanism will work effectively.
continuous chain
For his part, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that the exit of the ships will follow the exit mechanism of the "Razoni" ship, which left today, Monday, the port of Odessa in Ukraine.
He explained in an interview with Anatolia News Agency that the ship "Razoni" will arrive tomorrow afternoon at the Bosphorus Strait, where its cargo will be subject to scrutiny, and then complete its destination.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar inaugurated a coordination center for Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea a few days ago (Reuters)
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar stressed the importance of solving the issue of transporting Ukrainian and Russian grains, saying that their transfer is important for global food security, adding that the aggravation of the food problem may lead to a dangerous wave of migration from Africa to Turkey and Europe.
In turn, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the departure of the ship loaded with Ukrainian grain from the port of Odessa today, Monday, is a tremendous collective achievement for the Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul.
Guterres warned that people are on the brink of starvation, and need successful deals in order to survive.
The US embassy in Kyiv also welcomed the departure of the first ship from the port of Odessa, adding that the world will monitor the continued implementation of this agreement, which should feed people around the world with millions of tons of Ukrainian grain.
HIMARS missiles
The United States announced on Monday that it will send $550 million in new weapons to Ukrainian forces facing the Russian offensive, including ammunition for rocket launchers that are increasingly important in the conflict.
White House spokesman John Kirby confirmed to the press that this assistance will include, in particular, "more munitions for the (...) HIMARS systems."
Thus, the total value of US military assistance provided to Ukraine since US President Joe Biden took office to more than $8 billion, according to the spokesman.
Washington has provided its ally Ukraine with frequent batches of aid from advanced weapons, especially the HIMARS system, Harpoon and howitzers, and these weapons have contributed to repelling and impeding the Russian attack that has continued since February 24.