ANKARA, November 2. /TASS/. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday that grain exports from Ukraine via the maritime humanitarian corridor have resumed at 12:00 p.m. Moscow time.
"Starting at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, grain supplies have resumed," Erdogan said in parliament. He referred to a telephone conversation between the Turkish and Russian Defense Ministers, during which it was reported that grain supplies had resumed.
Erdogan specified that Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu informed his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar about the resumption of grain exports from Ukraine. According to the Turkish leader, an agreement has also been reached with Russia on the supply of grain to poor countries in Africa. "First of all, the corridor will function for deliveries <...> to the poor countries of Africa, in particular to Djibouti and Sudan," he said.
On Tuesday, the Presidents of Russia and Turkey Vladimir Putin and Tayyip Erdogan held telephone conversations discussing the grain deal and the conditions for its resumption.
Putin drew Erdogan's attention to the fact that the second part of the agreements to unblock the export of Russian agricultural products and fertilizers to world markets had not been implemented. The Russian President also stated that since the agreements on the export of Ukrainian grain came into effect three months ago, deliveries of food on a priority basis to the neediest countries have not been ensured.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported on October 29 that due to the terrorist act committed by the "Kiev regime with the participation of British specialists" against ships of the Black Sea Fleet and civilian vessels involved in ensuring the security of the grain corridor," the Russian side suspends participation in the implementation of agreements on the export of agricultural products from Ukrainian ports.