UN expects Ukraine grain deal extended in March

The Ukraine grain deal remains in effect, and work is underway to extend it, announced the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ukraine Denise Brown, Interfax-Ukraine reports.

The UN officials admitted there are issues, but work is ongoing to overcome them.

"The Black Sea Grain Initiative is capable of more. We cannot let it stop... Trust me, we will not allow it to stop. We cannot afford it, and neither can Ukraine," she emphasized at the press event in Kyiv.

Brown focused on the importance of neutrality for the continuation of the dialogue with russia. The coordinator mentioned that the initiative is to be extended in March.

"We spent much time in September and October working out many issues before the initiative was extended in November," she said.

On January 20, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called for the extension of the grain deal and suggested its expansion with other ports in Ukraine.

Ukraine's ambassador to Türkiye Vasyl Bodnar announced on January 24 that less than 60 days remained until the grain deal expires, and that work was underway to extend it, as it is currently the only way to export sizable volumes of Ukrainian grain.