An intense global scramble is on to keep Ukraine grain deal alive, as Russia pulls out

https://www.npr.org/2022/10/31/ [login to see] /russia-ukraine-grain-deal-turkey
Turkey, the United Nations and other countries are scrambling to salvage a deal that allows for the safe export of Ukrainian grain, after Russia said it was pulling out indefinitely. Russia's move caused a spike in global wheat prices and raised fresh concerns over food shortages, especially in the developing world.

Moscow announced it was suspending its part of the arrangement after an attack this weekend on its Black Sea fleet near Crimea, for which it blames Ukrainian drone attacks. The United States and other Western powers condemned Russia's decision.

Turkey and the U.N. brokered the grain initiative in July and it was set to expire Nov. 19. They said talks with Russia and Ukraine were underway to renew it.

"Although Russia is hesitant in this regard because it could not benefit in the same way [as Ukraine did], we will decisively continue our efforts to serve humanity," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday in Istanbul.

The Turkish Defense Ministry said on Sunday that Russian teams working on the grain deal would remain in Istanbul, where the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) that oversees the grain shipments is based, but no new ships would leave Ukraine through the humanitarian corridor in the Black Sea in the meantime.