The United Nations denied claims that Türkiye received a 25% discount in grain prices from Ukraine under the recently signed grain deal.
"We did much research, as much research as possible, and I can tell you that there was no discount built into the Black Sea Grain Initiative agreement that was signed in Istanbul. Furthermore, we are not aware of any other agreement that would guarantee such a discount," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
His comments came to clarify a response to a question raised by a journalist concerning the grain deal and a possible discount afforded to Türkiye for its purchase of Ukrainian grain.
Türkiye, the United Nations, Russia and Ukraine signed a landmark deal on July 22 to reopen three Ukrainian ports – Odessa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny – for grain that had been stuck for months due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which is now in its sixth month.
The U.N. estimates that an additional 47 million people began to face “acute hunger” as a direct consequence of the war.
The U.N. and Turkey, a NATO member and maritime neighbor to both Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea, have been working for two months to broker the deal. Turkey controls the straits leading into the Black Sea and has acted as a mediator on the grain issue.
The halt to grain exports during the five-month war has caused prices to rise dramatically, and reopening Ukrainian ports may potentially avert famine in parts of the world.
Ukraine is one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but Russia’s invasion of the country and naval blockade of its ports have halted shipments. Some grain is being transported through Europe by rail, road and river, but the prices of vital commodities like wheat and barley have soared during the nearly five-month war.
