Ukraine: Russia Will Not Escort Ships in Black Sea Ports

Ukraine announced that Russia would not accompany ships in the Black Sea ports under the new grain deal signed on Friday.

The grain document was inked by Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure Alexander Kubrakov, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, according to TASS.

Media outlets reported that the agreement would enable Ukraine to resume shipping grain from the Black Sea to international markets. Moreover, Russia will begin exporting grain and fertilizers, ending the global food security.

"No transport-escort by Russian ships and no presence of representatives in our ports. In case of provocations, an immediate military response [sic]," Mikhail Podolyak, adviser to the head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office, wrote on Twitter.

Podolyak stated that all inspections of transport ships will be conducted by joint groups in Turkey waters if such as requirement arises. He said: "Ukraine is not signing any document with Russia but with Turkey and the United Nations, and undertaking obligations to them."

This is the first significant agreement between the two sides since the onset of war in late February and comes as food prices around the world have surged and people in some of the world's poorest countries are on the verge of facing starvation.