Turkey, mediator between Russia and Ukraine for the release of grains 1:08
(CNN) --
Ukraine and Russia signed an agreement Friday in the Turkish city of Istanbul that allows the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, after months of negotiations mediated by Turkey and the United Nations. It was confirmed by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
The deal aims to resume grain exports from Ukrainian ports, which have been blocked by the five-month conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Western officials have accused Moscow of weaponizing food supplies, while the UN, leaders and experts have warned of a catastrophic food crisis as grain shipments have failed to reach the world market.
Some 20 million tons of grain are held in Ukraine, where the summer harvest is already underway.
The agreement will include three Ukrainian ports, including Odessa, will involve a Joint Coordination Center established in Istanbul and agreed safe corridors for merchant shipping.
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Russia and Ukraine will talk in Turkey to unblock the retained grains
"There is a beacon of hope," says the UN
The deal will allow the resumption of vital grain exports from Ukraine's Black Sea ports, a diplomatic breakthrough aimed at easing the global food crisis caused by the war, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday.
The deal comes after months of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia mediated by Turkey and the United Nations.
"Today, there is a beacon in the Black Sea. A beacon of hope, a beacon of possibility, a beacon of relief in a world that needs it more than ever," Guterres said.
"Promoting the well-being of humanity has been the driving force behind these conversations," he said.
"The question has not been what is good for one side or the other. The focus has been on what matters most to the people of our world. And let there be no doubt: this is a deal for the world."
Guterres said the deal will bring relief to developing countries and help stabilize world food prices, "which were already at record levels even before the war, a real nightmare for developing countries."
The agreement "was not easy" and "it has been a long road" since Guterres first met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to propose a solutions plan in April.
"We are counting on the government of Turkey to maintain its fundamental role in the future," he said, adding that the UN will remain "closely involved in working for the success of the agreement."
Guterres urged "all parties to spare no effort to implement their commitments" and said "we must spare no effort for peace."
"This is an unprecedented agreement between two parties involved in a bloody conflict. But that conflict continues. People are dying every day. The fighting is intense every day," he said.
"The beacon of hope in the Black Sea shines today, thanks to the collective efforts of so many. In these difficult and turbulent times for the region and our world, let that beacon lead the way to alleviate human suffering and ensure peace." he added.
war in ukraine