MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th July, 2022) Participants in the talks on the issue of Ukrainian grain exports via the Black Sea have managed to make serious progress, but technical issues remain concerning the next round of negotiations, an informed source told Sputnik.
Istanbul hosted "grain issue" negotiations attended by military officials from Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, as well as a UN delegation, on July 13. After the talks, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar stated that the parties had agreed to create a coordination center in Istanbul. Ankara said that the second meeting of all parties might happen again this week in Istanbul.
"There is serious progress there," an informed source told Sputnik commenting on the talks, but could not specify when the next meeting would take place in Istanbul, as there were "technical issues."
European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Joseph Borrell said late on Monday that he was hopeful that a deal on Ukrainian grain exports may be finalized this week.
