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Negotiations take place between Ukrainian, Russian, UN and Turkish officials on the grain deal reached today Xinhua News Agency/PA Images

Zelenskyy says UN responsible for guaranteeing Russia-Ukraine grain deal

President Michael D Higgins welcomed the agreement between Russia and Ukraine this evening.

LAST UPDATE | 22 Jul 2022

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR Zelenskyy said the United Nations was responsible for guaranteeing a landmark deal between Ukraine and Russia aimed at unblocking Ukrainian Black Sea grain exports and alleviating a global food crisis.

“Russia could engage in provocations, attempts to discredit the Ukrainian and international efforts. But we trust the United Nations. Now it’s their responsibility to guarantee the deal,” he said in his daily video address.

Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement on Black Sea grain exports in Istanbul on Friday, with Turkey and the UN as co-guarantors.

Both countries are major exporters of agricultural products, but the war has severely disrupted Ukrainian wheat exports as the fighting damaged harvests and left ports blocked and mined.

The warring parties signed two separate but identical texts, with Ukraine refusing to sign the same document as the Russians.

Zelenskyy said the deal was “entirely” in Ukraine’s interests and that the Ukrainian military would fully control access to the ports.

He added that around 20 million tonnes of produce from last year’s harvest and the current crop would be exported thanks to the agreement, estimating the value of Ukraine’s grain stock at around $10 billion.

“There is a chance to reduce the seriousness of the food crisis caused by Russia and prevent a global catastrophe — a famine that could lead to political chaos in many countries, particularly those that help us,” he said.

“It’s another demonstration that Ukraine is capable of resisting this war.”

Ukraine’s Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said grain exports from Black Sea ports could resume within days.

“The agreement was signed under our conditions. There has not been any betrayal,” he said.

Diplomats expect grain to start fully flowing for the first time since Russia’s invasion of its Western-backed neighbour by the middle of August.

“Today, there is a beacon on the Black Sea — a beacon of hope, a beacon of possibility, a beacon of relief,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said as the deal was signed after months of laborious negotiations that threatened to break down several times.

“It will bring relief for developing countries on the edge of bankruptcy and the most vulnerable people on the edge of famine,” Guterres said.

The United Nations estimates that an additional 47 million people began to face “acute hunger” as a direct consequence of the war.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — a key player in the negotiations who has good relations with both Moscow and Kyiv — said he hoped the deal would pave the way for eventual peace in Ukraine.

“This joint step we are taking with Ukraine and Russia will hopefully revive the path to peace,” the Turkish leader said.

The EU has cautiously welcomed the deal between the warring countries, with the bloc’s policy chief calling it a “step in the right direction”.

“Today’s Istanbul agreement is a step in the right direction. We call for its swift implementation,” tweeted Josep Borrell.

The deal has also been welcomed by President Michael D Higgins, who said those living on the Horn of Africa would appreciate it most.

“The signing today of the UN backed deal between Ukraine and Russia which could allow the export of millions of tonnes of grain to the Horn of Africa, which is so heavily dependent on grain from Ukraine and Russia will be so warmly welcomed by those not only in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia, but by all global citizens who do not want to see the current invasion triggering what will inevitably result in famine, starvation and malnutrition,” said Higgins.

“It is time for those with the greatest capacity to follow the lead of smaller countries. It is after all such countries who have produced the greatest amount of emissions that has resulted in the desertification of the lands of countries who have been least responsible for the burning of our planet.

“Today provides a glimmer of hope, not only on these crucial issues of food security, but on the vital role of the United Nations and its taking of initiatives, and it is to be welcomed.”

The war is being fought across one of Europe’s most fertile regions by two of the world’s biggest producers of grain.

But Russian warships and Ukrainian mines laid across the sea to avert an amphibious assault have blocked exports and left up to 25 million tonnes of wheat and other grain in danger of rotting in ports and silos.

UN officials say it was quickly decided that de-mining the area would take too long to relieve the threat of starvation spreading to some of the poorest parts of the world.

The deal agreed through UN and Turkish mediation establishes safe corridors along which Ukrainian ships can come in and out of three designated Black Sea ports in and around Odessa.

Both sides also pledged not to attack ships on the way in or out.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak warned Russian breaches of the deal and incursions around Ukraine’s ports would be met with “an immediate military response”.

A joint command and control centre will be set up in Istanbul to oversee smooth operations and resolve disputes.

But all the pieces may not start coming together until next month. UN officials say Ukraine may send out a few ships at first to make sure the deal works.

“We’re talking about a few weeks before we’ll see a proper implementation of vessels going in and out,” one UN official said.

© AFP 2022

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    Mute Ciaran
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 3:46 PM

    This is amazing news ! Will hopefully bring down prices on shelf too as a result in the next 6 months and help ease inflation issues

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    Mute Thomas O' Donnell
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 4:04 PM

    @Ciaran: Not sure prices will come down. I do think it should stop any further price rises over the winter. There are still issue with planting for the next harvest. However, oil prices have come down a bit and the interest rate rise has strengthened the euro a bit which should combine to bring down inflation.

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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 6:45 PM

    @Ciaran: should help alleviate famine in African countries, at least.

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    Mute Niall Ó Cofaigh
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 11:14 PM

    @John Mulligan: yes – I have friends that explain that the price of food and gas (for cooking) have increased and put these beyond reach and that many were just about surviving are heading for starvation owing to price increases and some are more than the price increases we have seen here.

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    Mute David Kenny
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    Jul 23rd 2022, 12:26 AM

    @Ciaran: yes. Hopefully we can outbid the poorer nations and bring down the price of food here instead of doing the morally correct thing and provide for ourselves and saving 40m million people who face famine without this grain.

    6
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    Mute Michael Dowling
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    Jul 23rd 2022, 9:47 AM

    @Ciaran: prices probably won’t come down due to greed. Same with everything these days. Waterford car park prices went up due to the war !. Figure that one out.

    8
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    Mute Eamonn Tierney
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 4:21 PM

    Maybe a landmark, but the real agreement needed is for PEACE

    203
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    Mute Wooden Spoon
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 4:32 PM

    @Eamonn Tierney: while this is great news by itself it also shows that both sides are willing to sit a table with each other to negotiate. It’s probably quite naive of me, but fingers crossed this is the beginning of further negotiations that will hopefully bring an end to this war.

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    Mute SilexFlint
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 6:42 PM

    @Wooden Spoon: they didn’t sit with each other, they each signed agreements with UN and turkey

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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 6:45 PM

    @SilexFlint: maybe that’s how it needs to be done

    29
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    Mute JG
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 10:56 PM

    @Wooden Spoon: a Russian withdrawal from Ukraine will secure peace.

    29
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    Mute Niall Ó Cofaigh
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 11:21 PM

    @JG: just like the peace that existed during the civil war of 2014 to 2022 that saw over 13,000 killed before the Russian invasion. Yes it was West looking Ukrainians fighting East looking Ukrainians in Donbas where the East facing Ukrainians got support from Russia. Peace could have potentially come at any time had the 2014 Minsk agreement been implemented instead of the civil war being allowed to continue for 8 years. Yes a Russian withdrawal will help but the reason for the civil war would continue.

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    Mute Darren Murphy
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    Jul 23rd 2022, 7:18 AM

    @JG: never going to happen, the comedian and his ilk are on life support, after all according to the paranoid android some of his cabinet (28 officials, and rising) are collaborating with russia, maybe THEY were trying to stop the war, because when it stops the comedian gets no more money and weapons from sleepy joe and co and he will have to run to his $5million mansion in miami.

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    Mute Richard Ahern
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 5:05 PM

    Russia has “pledged” not to attack ships on the way in or out. Anyone spot the incongruent nature of that sentence? I think we should get that in writing from Orwell Road, then we’ll all know for certain that it’s true… NOT! I sincerely hope that I am wrong.

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    Mute Des Hanrahan
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 5:19 PM

    As Ukraine only accounts for 4% of the world’s wheat market in a very good year and there is only about 1% of the world’s wheat supply there at present this agreement, whilst welcome will not affect food prices.

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    Mute Rian Lynch
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 6:06 PM

    @Des Hanrahan: ikraine supplies 40% of wheat to the world food programme which provides food assisstance. thaTs why its having such an impact on food supplies

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    Mute Des Hanrahan
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 6:33 PM

    @Rian Lynch: The WFP deals with emergency aid and will not influence food prices globally. The most important grain isn’t wheat but corn/maize.

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    Mute Billy Heffernan
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 11:42 PM

    @Des Hanrahan: Des, Ryan Lynch is the expert here in all matters Ukraine, as seen by the amount of posts he has on these threads. It’s not quality that matters but quantity.

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    Mute Billy Heffernan
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 11:43 PM

    @Billy Heffernan: Rian*

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    Mute Rian Lynch
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    Jul 23rd 2022, 7:11 AM

    @Billy Heffernan: i don’t understand the criticism but i apologise for having an opinion that obviously differs from yours.

    6
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    Mute Kate Peters
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 5:39 PM

    I can understand Ukrainian Minister’s no wanting to sign any document with Russia,but let’s take it as a win,and it’s about the Ukrainian people not the Minister’s,We all know what Putin is,and he can’t be trusted,small steps and it’s helping the Ukrainian economy……

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    Mute Jim Buckley Barrett
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 10:16 PM

    UN responsible for something? Good luck with that!

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    Mute Niall Ó Cofaigh
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    Jul 22nd 2022, 11:25 PM

    @Jim Buckley Barrett: they were doing a good job in the Lebanon – ironically a UN mandate is exactly what is needed as distinct from a NATO intervention.

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    Mute Elrond Rivendell
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    Jul 23rd 2022, 1:14 AM

    Apparently you can’t call the Russians fascist murderers now. Facts be facts.

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    Mute Roy Dowling
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    Jul 23rd 2022, 1:39 AM

    @Elrond Rivendell: Any particular reason you hide behind a fake name when posting? I’m guessing you lack self confidence?

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    Mute Elrond Rivendell
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    Jul 23rd 2022, 3:09 AM

    @Roy Dowling: LOL. Tell me what deflection means or I’m leaving and never talking to you again. C low n.

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    Mute Roy Dowling
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    Jul 23rd 2022, 9:54 AM

    @Elrond Rivendell: Bet you feel very brave insulating people over the internet while hiding behind a fake name?. Maybe one you’ll have the courage to not hide and post the same kind of stuff but I doubt it.

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    Mute Elrond Rivendell
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    Jul 23rd 2022, 10:26 AM

    @Roy Dowling: And Lol again. Nothing to do with feeling anything petal. My opinions are my opinions and I share them with my friends too. I note that your response to my original post has nothing to do with what I said. Is that you deflecting again??

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    Mute Roy Dowling
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    Jul 23rd 2022, 11:15 AM

    @Elrond Rivendell: it’s plenty to do with your feelings. You are clearly afraid to use youre real name on here hence why you hide behind a fake name and insult people to make yourself feel better. As for me deflecting? Your wrong again lad. No where in the article does it say russian fascissts murderer’s but bet you don’t see your comments as deflection do you. So clearly you don’t understand the meaning of the word. I’ll give you a hint. Deflection is still deflection weather you do 50 times (like you claim I do) or do it once to “call people out” like you claim you did. It’s the exact same. But hey you be brave and keep hiding there’s a good lad..

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    Mute Elrond Rivendell
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    Jul 23rd 2022, 11:25 AM

    @Roy Dowling: You’re clearly dying to know my real name. How p a t h e tic. Now seeing as you only came on this article for me and you’re late to the party, allow me to clarify for you petal. I had a comment up in which I stated that hopefully they can also come to an agreement on the export of Russian soldiers (who I described as fas cist mur derers) along with their Chechen and Syrian mercenaries. This thread was removed, hence my comment. So it wasn’t really deflection. Glad I cleared that up for you. Now do yourself a favour and don’t keep obsessing over me. It’s really not healthy. Get a hobby, a partner, maybe both. You’ll be much happier.

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    Mute Roy Dowling
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    Jul 23rd 2022, 11:37 AM

    @Elrond Rivendell: Couldn’t careless about your real name. The fact you felt the need to hide in the first place tells me all I need to about you. Do myself a favour and stop obsessing over you? Says the person who literally stated on Thursday they only made a comment to “call out me and my ilk”. And you could “set your watch by me”.. but yea apparently I’m obsessing over you. Some reality you live in lad. You really need to get a life. There is more to life than Russia and Ukraine. Which is all you comment on. Put on your big boy pants use you’re real name and join the real world. You’ll enjoy life more I promise..

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    Mute Joe_X
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    Jul 23rd 2022, 10:19 AM

    I wonder how long it will take the Russians to break this agreement!

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    Mute Joe_X
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    Jul 23rd 2022, 11:49 AM

    @Joe_X: and judging from the latest reports…..already broken as off 11.45 Saturday Irish time. Ink was barely dry on the paper.

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    Mute Ronnie Smith
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    Jul 23rd 2022, 10:46 AM

    The Russians will wait until the Ukrainians clear their sea mines and will then launch an amphibious assault on Odessa.

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    Mute Daniel O'Neill
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    Jul 23rd 2022, 1:26 PM

    Well, that bad deal didn’t last long.

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    Mute Fergal McDonagh
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    Jul 23rd 2022, 12:19 PM

    No point making agreements with proven liars.

    4
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