Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif congratulated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the Russia-Ukraine grain deal inked in Istanbul, calling it a “historic victory of diplomacy”.
The prime minister stated on Twitter on Saturday that the Russia-Ukraine grain deal was a historic victory of diplomacy, which showed that all crises could be averted through “meaningful engagement”.
He congratulated Turkish President Erdogan for his country’s key role in preventing global food crisis.
According to foreign media reports, the “mirror” agreements that Ukraine and Russia have signed will let Kyiv resume grain exports through the Black Sea.
The agreements come as millions of tonnes of grain are currently stuck in Ukraine as a result of the fighting.
Millions are currently at risk of going hungry due to the global shortage of Ukrainian grain since Russia’s invasion onn February 24.
However, Kyiv had refused to reach a direct agreement with Moscow, and issued a threat that any “provocations” would result in “an instant military response”.
The signing ceremony was held in Istanbul, however neither side sat at the same table.
Russian Minister of Defence Sergei Shoigu was the first to sign the agreement for Moscow, and Oleksandr Kubrakov, the Ukrainian minister of infrastructure, was the second.
The agreement, which took two months to finalise, will endure for 120 days, and a coordination and monitoring centre with workers from the UN, Turkey, Russia, and Ukraine will be set up in Istanbul.
If both parties consent, it may be renewed.
Diplomats claim that, in accordance with the agreement’s terms, Russia won’t attack ports as cargo are travelling and Ukrainian ships will direct cargo ships across mined waterways.
To alleviate Russian concerns about the smuggling of weapons, Turkey will examine ships with UN backing, making it easier for Russia to export food and fertiliser via the Black Sea.
According to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, it was likely the most significant action he had taken while leading the international organisation.
