Russia’s defense minister has told his Turkish counterpart that Moscow has agreed to return to a Turkish and U.N. brokered deal that allowed the shipment of millions of tons Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called Turkey’s Hulusi Akar and informed him that the grain corridor agreement would “continue in the same way as before” as of Wednesday. Erdogan said Wednesday that the renewed deal would prioritize shipments to African nations. Russia suspended its participation in the grain deal over the weekend, citing allegations of a Ukrainian drone attack against its Black Sea fleet.
Russia-Ukraine war: The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that Ukraine formally committed to using the established safe shipping corridor between southern Ukraine and Turkey “exclusively in accordance with the stipulations” of the agreement.