Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar emphasized that there is no need for complete demining of Ukrainian Black Sea ports, stressing that simply creating safe passageways for merchant ships is sufficient.
"Because there will be a Joint Coordination Center, and both the Russian and Ukrainian sides will be present, [...] we will determine the safe course of the ships and [...] guide the merchant ships," the defense minister told CNN in an interview. "In this way," the minister continued, "we will ensure that ships enter and leave Ukrainian ports safely."
The long-awaited grain agreement was signed earlier by representatives from Moscow, Kiev, Ankara, and the United Nations as the parties seek solutions to unblock the export of grains stranded at Black Sea ports.
