"The progress of the implementation of the Istanbul Package Agreements designed to promote global food security and provide assistance to countries in need in Asia, Africa and Latin America was discussed. Particular attention, taking into account the supervising role of Martin Griffiths, was paid to the Black Sea initiative for the export of Ukrainian food with an emphasis on the task of restoring the operation of the Tolyatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline," the ministry said in a statement.
The parties also discussed the current situation in Syria with an emphasis on solving urgent humanitarian tasks, primarily to overcome the consequences of the devastating earthquake that occurred in early February, the ministry added.
Russia, Ukraine, Turkiye and the United Nations struck a deal to provide a humanitarian maritime corridor for ships with food and fertilizer exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports on July 22, 2022. The deal, originally scheduled to expire on November 18, was extended for another 120 days on November 17. On March 18, 2023, Russia extended the grain deal one more time, for 60 of possible 120 days.
Moscow has repeatedly said that most vessels carrying Ukrainian grain do not reach the world's poorest countries and end up in Europe.