Oleksandr Kubrakov met with Minister of National Defence of Turkey Hulusi Akar

Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for Recovery, Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development, met with Hulusi Akar, Minister of National Defence of Turkey.

Oleksandr Kubrakov commented: "We have completed a meeting with Hulusi Akar, Minister of National Defence of Turkey. The main issue on the agenda is unblocking and ensuring the effective functioning of the Black Sea Grain Initiative. We agreed to resume registration and inspection of ships arriving to load Ukrainian grain.

Since April 10, russia has terminated the registration of the new incoming fleet for participation in the Initiative and refused to work according to the plans of Ukrainian ports. This made it impossible to draw up inspection plans and actually stopped the entry of new vessels under the Grain Initiative.

As is known, over the past two days, between 17 and 18 April, no inspection plan was drawn up and no inspections were carried out in Turkish territorial waters. On April 18, the Ukrainian side proposed to conduct at least 2 inspections of the departing and 2 inspections of the arriving fleet. This proposal was also supported by the Turkish side, but was not implemented due to russia's position.

By demanding to regulate the activities of Ukrainian ports by determining the vessels that can participate in the Initiative, russia violated the official procedures of the Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) and the terms of the Grain Agreement in particular.

Demands to control and interfere in the work of Ukrainian ports are unacceptable to us.

I am grateful to Minister of National Defence of Turkey Hulusi Akar for the constructive dialogue and clear position on supporting the Grain Initiative. Despite the fact that ship inspections will be resumed, we continue working consultations with the UN and Turkey on ways to ensure the full implementation of the grain agreement in compliance with the obligations of all parties and the JCC procedures."

IC UAC according to the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine