By Laura Pitel in Ankara and Max Seddon in Tel Aviv, Financial Times, 7/22/22

…Under the deal, which aims to restore grain shipments to prewar levels in the coming weeks, Ukraine and Russia have agreed not to attack merchant vessels, civilian vessels or port facilities covered by the agreement, according to a senior UN official.

It represents a “de facto ceasefire”, the official said, but added: “It doesn’t mean to say that parts of those ports which are not engaged in this mission are protected.”

It remains unclear how the deal will be enforced and what will happen if either side is accused of violating it.

Turkey, a Nato member with close ties to both Kyiv and Moscow, has agreed to send monitors to the ports along with UN representatives. But a senior Ukrainian official involved in the talks said Kyiv still had serious reservations. Without a binding mechanism to hold Russia to its commitments, the other parties essentially have to accept Moscow’s words on faith, the official said: “[There is] no enforcement, just promises.”…

Read the full article here.

RT: Ukraine to remove mines blocking grain ships – NYT

RT.com, 7/22/22

Ukraine has agreed to facilitate the passage of wheat exports, through the Black Sea, to global markets, the New York Times, reported on Friday, citing three government sources in Kiev.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has added that Kiev has agreed to remove “only a few” of the mines which have been blocking naval traffic since Russia launched its military offensive in February.

Under the proposals, Ukraine’s Navy and Coast Guard would steer grain ships to international waters, the report explained.

Wheat shipments from Ukraine, a major exporter, were disrupted after Russia launched its military operation in the neighboring country in late February. Both sides blame each other for hampering the exports.

According to the report, foreign crews would take the ship to Istanbul, Turkey, where they would continue on to other destinations. A control center would be set up in Istanbul to oversee operations, while Turkish officials would check the ships to assure Moscow that they aren’t used to deliver weapons to Ukraine.

Two senior European officials were quoted as saying they were optimistic that a deal would be struck at the UN-sponsored talks in Istanbul on Friday.

Western politicians accused Russia of deliberately blocking grain exports from Ukraine by blockading Black Sea ports. Moscow says the deliveries are not possible due to Ukrainian naval mines. The Russian Navy has offered to safely escort all grain ships.