The first ship to leave Ukraine after the termination of the grain transport agreement arrived in Istanbul on Thursday evening, despite the Russian blockade, shipping sites reported, AFP reported.

The Hong Kong-flagged container ship Joseph Schulte left the Ukrainian port of Odesa on Wednesday, defying Russia, which has threatened to attack such ships after scrapping a deal in July that allowed Ukraine to export grain.

The ship passed through a “new humanitarian corridor” established by Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russia fired warning shots at the end of the week at a cargo ship bound for Izmail, a port on the Danube in southern Ukraine.

Turkey’s reaction after the Black Sea incident

The Turkish presidency broke its silence on Thursday night on the matter, which concerns the vessel, which is owned by a Turkish company, even though it flies the flag of Palau.

“The Russian interlocutors were warned to avoid such initiatives, which could increase the tension in the Black Sea,” Ankara said.

Moscow has stepped up its attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure on the Black Sea and the Danube after pulling out of the UN-Turkey grain deal that took effect last summer.

The international community is scrambling to find a way to secure grain transport routes to the rest of the world in time for this fall’s harvest, with Ukraine and Russia the world’s leading exporters.

Last year’s agreement helped reduce world food prices and provided Ukrainians with significant incomes. Currently, Kyiv exports a significant part of its agricultural products via the Danube.

Erdogan wants to meet Putin this month

As the Wall Street Journal reports, American officials are in discussions with Turkey, Ukraine and its neighbors about increasing traffic on the Danube. One of them said that Washington will study all options, including military escort of Ukrainian merchant ships.

But a Turkish defense ministry official appeared to reject the initiative on Thursday.

“Our efforts are focused on restoring the grain agreement,” he told private Turkish broadcaster NTV.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hopes to meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin this month, with the renewal of an agreement on grain exports from Ukraine expected to be on the agenda. (Agerpress)

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