Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar (pictured) said Ukraine and Russia have on Wednesday reached a "basic, technical" agreement on lifting the blockade on the Ukrainian port of Odesa.
At a meeting held in Istanbul, the two sides agreed on the initial elements of the deal which would release millions of tons of grain supplies stuck in the Black Sea since February when Moscow launched its military operation in Ukraine.
"We see that the parties are willing to solve this problem," Akar noted, celebrating the move.
