Since the launch of the agreement, roughly 17 million tons of grain have been moved by sea through the humanitarian corridor. This milestone was announced by Hulusi Akar, who serves as the Minister of National Defense, during a broadcast on the TRT television channel.
The minister emphasized that about 17 million tons of grain were shipped as part of the corridor operation, conducted with the coordination and support of Turkey. The figure reflects a sustained effort to maintain an uninterrupted supply chain for agricultural products, amid ongoing regional tensions and international scrutiny. [Source: Turkish Ministry of Defense, official briefing; corroborating coverage by international agencies.]
The agreement on establishing a corridor for Ukrainian agricultural exports via the Black Sea was signed in Istanbul on July 22. Participants included representatives from Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Nations, who committed to a framework designed to facilitate the safe passage of grain while addressing security and logistical concerns. [Attribution: UN Office for Trade and Development, multi-party press release.]
On October 29, following the Ukrainian attacks on ships belonging to the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol Bay, Russia announced an indefinite suspension of its participation in the grain agreement. This pause underscored the fragility of a system built on cooperation and risk management in a volatile security environment. On November 2, President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow would reserve the right to withdraw from the deal if Kyiv violated its terms, signaling ongoing strategic recalibrations by all sides involved. Ukraine responded by pledging that the corridor would not be used to support military actions. [Attribution: statements from the Kremlin and Ukrainian officials; corroborating reportage.]
Mid-December saw the Russian authorities enact legislation enabling insurance firms from unfriendly states to engage in coverage related to the export of foodstuffs and mineral fertilizers. This move aimed to preserve financial continuity for shipments while navigating sanctions and international risk assessments, reflecting broader efforts to stabilize trade channels in a challenging geopolitical climate. [Source: Russian government legislative records; analyses by international financial observers.]
In the latter portion of December, the Turkish Ministry of Defense provided an update noting that more than 14 million tons of agricultural commodities had been exported from Ukrainian ports via the maritime humanitarian corridor as part of the grain deal. The update highlighted the cumulative impact of the arrangements on global food supply and regional commerce, even as the multilateral agreement faced periods of disruption and renegotiation. [Attribution: Turkish Defense Ministry press service; corroborative industry reports.]