Turkey is not powerful enough to guarantee Ukrainian grain exports - traders union

Turkey, which is negotiating with Russia to secure safe routes for grain exports from blocked Ukrainian seaports, is not powerful enough to act as a guarantor, the director of the Ukrainian grain traders union UGA Serhiy Ivashchenko said on Wednesday.

He told an online grain conference in Kyiv that the demining of Ukrainian Black Sea ports could take no less than 2-3 months and that the Turkish and Romanian navies should be involved.

He also said there were no discussions underway about a discount for Ukrainian grain exported via the Black Sea.