United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (pictured right) expressed on Thursday his "deep appreciation" to Turkey and its President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (left) for their role in negotiating the extension of the Black Sea grain export deal. "Without their generosity and commitment, this initiative would never have been born. Istanbul remains the center of a remarkable diplomatic achievement," Guterres stated.
The scheme has been prolonged for another 120 days to ensure that agricultural products from Ukraine can be safely transported to countries in need. "The initiative demonstrates the importance of discreet diplomacy in finding multilateral solutions," Guterres added.