The deputy defense ministers of Russia, Ukraine and Turkey will meet on Friday (May 5) in Istanbul to discuss a deal that would allow Ukrainian grain to be exported across the Black Sea, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Wednesday, Reuters reported.
"During the meeting, some issues will be discussed, starting with the grain initiative," the state-run Anadolu agency quoted him as saying about the meeting scheduled in Istanbul.
"In this regard, we can say that the parties warmly look at the continuation of the (agreement - ed.). We wish that this initiative will be continued without any problems," he said.
The agreement, brokered by the UN and Turkey last July, allows grain stuck in ports due to the Russian invasion to be safely exported across the Black Sea.
Russia has previously declared an "impasse" over extending the deal beyond May 18, as a list of its demands for easier exports of its own grain and fertilizer had not been met.
