White House: US supports extension of Black Sea grain deal

The US supports the extension of the Black Sea grain deal, White House Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said in an interview with MSNBC, Report informs.

The US wants the deal to be extended, Kirby said.

Earlier today, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Türkiye was in talks with Russia, Ukraine and the UN to extend the deal.

The grain deal, signed on July 22, 2022, by representatives of Russia, Türkiye, Ukraine and the UN, involves the export of Ukrainian grain, food and fertilizer across the Black Sea from three ports, including Odesa. The Joint Coordinating Center (JCC) in Istanbul is responsible for coordinating the movement of ships. The contract expired on November 18, 2022, but had envisaged an automatic prolongation for 120 days until March 18, if either party did not object.