Turkish Defense Ministry in talks to extend grain deal for 120 days

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Wednesday that he was in talks with the Russian and Ukrainian sides to extend the grain deal not for 60 but 120 days, Report informs via TASS.

"Continuing the implementation of these agreements is really very important. We will continue our contacts [with the parties to the transaction] on an extension not for two months, but for 120 days. The parties will evaluate [this proposal], Russia and Ukraine will make decisions," the minister is quoted as saying.

Akar added that "the UN is in solidarity with Türkiye " regarding the need to extend the agreement for 120 days. "I hope we will be able to achieve a positive solution to this issue in the coming days," the minister added.

Consultations were held in Geneva on Monday between the UN, represented by the head of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Rebecca Greenspan, Deputy Secretary General Martin Griffiths and the Russian delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin.