The resumption of Ukrainian grain exports, for the first time since the start of the Russian invasion, is a “relief for the world”, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba responded on Monday, reports Agerpres.

“Today, the world is heaving a sigh of relief, especially our friends in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, when the first Ukrainian grains leave Odessa after months of Russian blockade. Ukraine has always been a reliable partner and will remain so if Russia keeps its side of the deal,” Kuleba wrote on Twitter.

The Razoni ship with 26,000 tonnes of corn left the port of Odesa for Lebanon on Monday morning, making it the first shipment of grain since February 24, when Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine.

Thus, despite the hostilities, the agreement signed in Istanbul by Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the UN on the restoration of grain exports to the Black Sea seems to be starting to work, mitigating the global food crisis.

On July 22, in Istanbul, Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement on the creation of security zones to allow the export of grain blocked in Ukraine.

The agreement will be valid for 120 days, during which about 25 million tons from Ukrainian silos can be transported until the new harvest.

Vessels and cargo will be inspected in Istanbul under the leadership of the Joint Coordination Center (CCC), which officially opened last week in the Turkish metropolis under an agreement signed on July 22 between Ukraine and Russia, brokered by Turkey and the United Nations.

On February 24, Russia launched an unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine. Moscow claims that this is a “special military operation to de-Nazify” the neighboring country and protect the Russian-speaking community in eastern Ukraine.