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The Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian ports, also called the Black Sea Grain Initiative, is an agreement between
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
and
Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
made with
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
and the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...
(UN) during the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. ...
. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February led to a complete halt of maritime grain shipments from Ukraine, previously a major exporter via the Black Sea. This resulted in a rise in world food prices and the threat of famine in lower-income countries. To address the issue, discussions began in April, hosted by Turkey (which controls the maritime routes from the Black Sea) and supported by the UN. The resulting agreement was signed in
Istanbul ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_i ...
on 22 July 2022, valid for a period of 120 days. The July agreement created procedures to safely export grain from certain ports to attempt to address the 2022 food crisis. A joint coordination and inspection center was set up in Turkey, with the UN serving as
secretariat Secretariat may refer to: * Secretariat (administrative office) * Secretariat (horse) Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989), also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred racehorse who is the ninth winner of the Ame ...
. By late December, nearly 600 voyages had successfully left Ukrainian ports carrying over 15 million tonnes of grain and other food products. The original agreement was set to expire on 19 November 2022. Renewal negotiations were briefly interrupted when Russia suspended its participation in the agreement on 29 October because of a drone attack on Russian naval ships in the
port of Sevastopol 200px Sevastopol Marine Trade Port (SMTP) is a port in Sevastopol. It is located mainly at the Bay of Sevastopol, and at smaller bays around the Heracles peninsula. The port infrastructure is fully integrated with the city of Sevastopol and naval ...
. Russia resumed its participation on 2 November after Turkish and UN mediation. On 17 November 2022, the UN and Ukraine announced that the agreement had been extended for a further 120 days.


Background

In 2022, 47 million people were estimated to be suffering from severe hunger as a result of the world's soaring food costs partly due to the impact of the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. ...
. Developing and emerging countries in
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
,
Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
, and
Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...
have been impacted the most by this war due to their reliance on imported grain and fuel. According to the UN
Food and Agriculture Organization The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)french: link=no, Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture; it, Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per l'Alimentazione e l'Agricoltura is an intern ...
, Ukraine is among the world's leading grain exporters, providing more than 45 million tonnes annually to the global market. Some 20 million tonnes of grain had been held up in the Ukrainian port city of
Odesa Odesa (also spelled Odessa) is the third most populous city and municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. The city is also the administrati ...
, according to the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
. Almost all of Ukraine's wheat, corn, and sunflower oil were exported through its Black Sea ports prior to the conflict. Before the agreement, some ports' infrastructure has been harmed while others are under Russian control and others are blocked by mines. Initially, the Ukrainian government was reluctant to de-mine the sea due to the scale of the task and the possibility of leaving the ports open to attack.


Timeline

*25 April 2022: UN Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language-speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popular ma ...
and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a meeting to discuss the impact of the conflict on global issues, including food, energy, and finance. *26 April: Guterres met with Russian President
Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...
, describing the meeting as "very useful". *28 April: Guterres met with Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelensky Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy, ; russian: Владимир Александрович Зеленский, Vladimir Aleksandrovich Zelenskyy, (born 25 January 1978; also transliterated as Zelensky or Zelenskiy) is a Ukrainian politicia ...
and other officials to discuss the food crisis. *26 May: Russia modified the route of its "blue safe maritime corridor" from Ukrainian ports through its Maritime Exclusion Zone to increase safety for merchant vessels. *3 June: Putin met with the President of the African Union,
Macky Sall Macky Sall (, wo, Maki Sàll, fuc, 𞤃𞤢𞤳𞤭 𞤅𞤢𞤤‎, italic=no, Maki Sal; born 11 December 1961) is a Senegalese politician who has been President of Senegal since April 2012. He was re-elected President in the first round voti ...
, to discuss grain deliveries from Russia and Ukraine to Africa. *7 June: Russian and Turkish defence ministers discussed several topics including a potential grain export corridor from Ukraine. *8 July: Russian foreign minister
Sergey Lavrov Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov (russian: Сергей Викторович Лавров, ; born 21 March 1950) is a Russian diplomat and politician who has served as the Foreign Minister of Russia since 2004. Lavrov served as the Permanent Represe ...
stated that Russia would let grain exports out if Ukraine de-mines the water around its ports. *11 July: Zelenskiy said he had held talks with Erdogan on the need to unblock ports of Ukraine and resume grain exports. *13 July: Military delegations from Russia, Turkey and Ukraine met with a UN delegation in Istanbul. *19 July: In a meeting in
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, Putin met Erdogan to discuss the export of grain. *22 July: The
signing ceremony A signing ceremony is a ceremony in which a document of importance is signed (approved). Typically the document is a bill passed by a legislature, thus becoming a law by an executive's signature. However, the document may also be, for example, a ...
for the documents was held in Istanbul in the presence of Guterres, Erdogan, Russian Defense Minister
Sergei Shoigu Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu, ; tyv, Сергей Күжүгет оглу Шойгу, translit=Sergey Kyzhyget oglu Shoygu, . (russian: Сергей Кужугетович Шойгу; born 21 May 1955) is a Russian politician who has served as ...
, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov and Turkish Defense Minister
Hulusi Akar Hulusi Akar (born 12 March 1952) is the current Turkish minister of defense and a former four-star Turkish Armed Forces general who served as the 29th chief of the Turkish General Staff. Akar also served as a brigade commander in various NATO e ...
. * 23 July: less than a day after signing a grain export deal, Russia bombed the Odesa sea trade port. *25 July: Preparation is done by the
Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (USPA) ( uk, Адміністрація морських портів України (АМПУ)) is a state company created in 2013 after the adoption of the law "On Sea Ports of Ukraine" and united all ports of Ukra ...
(USPA) for the resumption of the export of grain. *27 July: The Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) is officially inaugurated in Istanbul. *28 July: UN aid chief
Martin Griffiths Martin Griffiths (born 3 July 1951) is a British diplomat who currently serves as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the United Nations. Personal life and education Born in Wales, Griffiths w ...
said that the first shipment could take place as early as Friday, but that "crucial" details were still being worked out. *29 July: In an unannounced appearance in Odesa, Zelensky said that a Ukrainian ship was ready and waiting for the signal to leave port. *31 July: Turkish Presidential spokesperson
İbrahim Kalın İbrahim Kalın (born September 15, 1971 in Istanbul) is a Turkish bureaucrat and Islamic studies scholar. In 2018, he was appointed as deputy chairman of the Security and Foreign Policy Council of Turkish Presidency and chief adviser to the Presi ...
announced that the first ship may depart as soon as Monday (1 August) and at the latest by Tuesday (2 August). *1 August: The ''Razoni'', the first ship loaded with Ukrainian grain, was reported to have left the port of Odesa. The destination of the ship was
Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...
. *7 September: the total number of vessels leaving Ukraine to date in accordance with the agreement reaches 100. *28 October: the total number of vessels leaving Ukraine to date in accordance with the agreement reaches 400. *29 October: Russia suspends its participation. *2 November: Russia resumes its participation. *15 November: Ukraine proposes expanding the initiative to Ukraine’s Mykolaiv Port and Olvia Port in the
Mykolaiv Oblast Mykolaiv Oblast ( uk, Микола́ївська о́бласть, translit=Mykoláyivsʹka óblastʹ, ), also referred to as Mykolaivshchyna ( uk, Микола́ївщина, Mykoláivshchyna, ) is an oblast (province) of Ukraine. The administra ...
. *19 November: Agreement is extended for a further 120 days. *27 November: The total number of vessels leaving Ukraine to date in accordance with the agreement reaches 500.


The agreement

On July 22, 2022, the signing ceremony took place at
Dolmabahçe Palace Dolmabahçe Palace ( tr, Dolmabahçe Sarayı, ) located in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul, Turkey, on the European coast of the Bosporus strait, served as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 to 1887 and from 1909 t ...
in Istanbul, Turkey. The ceremony marks the first major deal between the warring sides since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February. However, it was not a direct agreement between Russia and Ukraine. Instead, Ukraine signed an agreement with Turkey and the UN, and Russia signed a separate "mirror" agreement with Turkey and the UN. The signed documents entail the safe navigation for the export of grain and related foodstuffs and fertilizers, including ammonia from the Ukrainian ports of Odesa,
Chornomorsk Chornomorsk ( uk, Чорномо́рськ, ), formerly Illichivsk (, translit. ''Illichivs'k''), is a city in Odesa Raion, Odesa Oblast (province) of south-western Ukraine, dependent on the Port of Chornomorsk. The city is located around the ...
and
Yuzhne Yuzhne ( uk, Ю́жне, ; formerly: Южний, ''Yuzhnyi'',Internet portal of Yuzhny
translated as "southern"
. The ships would traverse the
Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Rom ...
in specially created corridors that are demined. All merchant vessels are required to go to Turkey for inspection. Another agreement was made at the same time for the UN to facilitate the unimpeded export of Russian food, fertilizer and its raw materials. As of October 2022, such Russian exports are still facing obstacles.


Joint Coordination Centre

As part of the agreement, a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) was created under the auspices of the UN in Istanbul on July 27. The JCC is tasked with registering and monitoring the departure of commercial ships via satellite, internet, and other communication means. Its primary responsibility is to check for the absence of unauthorized cargo and personnel on board of the vessels. The JCC is located on the campus of the
National Defense University The National Defense University (NDU) is an institution of higher education funded by the United States Department of Defense, intended to facilitate high-level education, training, and professional development of national security leaders. As ...
, about seven kilometers north of the center of Istanbul. The center is headed by a Turkish admiral. A total of 20 delegates are employed (five representatives from the four involved parties each). Ukrainians and Russians work separately from each other and contact between them happens only in emergency situations if deemed necessary.


Aftermath

Following the deal, wheat prices dropped to pre-war levels. On 23 July, less than a day after signing a grain export deal, it was reported that Russia launched
Kalibr The 3M-54 Kalibr, (Калибр, caliber), also referred to it as 3M54-1 Kalibr, 3M14 Biryuza (Бирюза, turquoise), ( NATO reporting name SS-N-27 Sizzler and SS-N-30A) is a family of Russian cruise missiles developed by the Novator Design ...
missiles at the Odesa sea trade port. According to Ukraine, two of the four missiles were intercepted. Russian officials told Turkey that Russia had "nothing to do" with the missile strike. The next day,
Igor Konashenkov Lieutenant General Igor Yevgenyevich Konashenkov (russian: Игорь Евгеньевич Конашенков; born 15 May 1966) is a Russian military officer serving as the chief spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federa ...
, a spokesman of the
Russian Ministry of Defence The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation (russian: Министерство обороны Российской Федерации, Минобороны России, informally abbreviated as МО, МО РФ or Minoboron) is the govern ...
, confirmed the strike, claiming that it destroyed a Ukrainian warship and a warehouse of
Harpoon A harpoon is a long spear-like instrument and tool used in fishing, whaling, sealing, and other marine hunting to catch and injure large fish or marine mammals such as seals and whales. It accomplishes this task by impaling the target animal ...
anti-ship missiles. Following the attack, insurers were more reluctant to insure trading ships sailing to Ukraine. The
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
said it would help achieve insurance for the companies involved. On 1 August, the first ship left a Ukrainian port. As of 26 August, according to Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy, ; russian: Владимир Александрович Зеленский, Vladimir Aleksandrovich Zelenskyy, (born 25 January 1978; also transliterated as Zelensky or Zelenskiy) is a Ukrainian politicia ...
, some 1 million tonnes of grain had been exported by Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian President, the stated aim is at least 3 million tonnes a month. On 4 September, Ukraine dispatched 282,500 tonnes of agricultural products to eight countries in 13 vessels, the largest daily total to that date. In mid-October, Ukraine's grain exports were running about 36 percent lower than during the previous season. By 26 December 2022, 15.6 million tonnes of agricultural products had been dispatched to 42 countries in 599 voyages, with Turkey (170), Spain (100), Italy (81), China (51), and Egypt (30) receiving the most voyages. As of October 2022, the widescale theft of Ukrainian grain was continuing and involved both private companies and Russian state operatives. Some of the stolen grain is laundered through transfers and by mixing it with legitimate goods. Ukraine intended to export 60 million tonnes over nine months if their ports continued to function well. "Solidarity corridors" were organized on the borders of Ukraine by the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...
for passage of grain through European rail, road, and river cargo shipment to destined countries, 60% of Ukrainian grain were exported through the European "solidarity corridors" and remaining through the Black Sea ports, unblocked according to the Istanbul agreements till October 2022.


Possible expiration and renegotiation

The agreement, initially applicable for a period of only four months, will expire on 19 November 2022 unless renewed. In mid-October, Russian diplomats at the UN stated that a renewed agreement must also allow for increased exports of Russian grain and fertilizers. Ukraine criticized the Russian stance and stated it had no additional demands beyond the July terms it had previously agreed to. The UN coordinator for the agreement, Amir Mahmoud Abdulla, expressed hope that a renewal agreement could be reached as the UN continued to facilitate discussions. On 29 October, Russia suspended its participation in the agreement because of a massed drone attack on the
Port of Sevastopol 200px Sevastopol Marine Trade Port (SMTP) is a port in Sevastopol. It is located mainly at the Bay of Sevastopol, and at smaller bays around the Heracles peninsula. The port infrastructure is fully integrated with the city of Sevastopol and naval ...
. Russia suggested that Ukraine had misused a cargo ship to conduct the strike, but UN stated that no cargo ships were in the grain corridor on the night of the attack. A number of grain ships continued to depart from Ukrainian ports with the UN and Turkey's approval, although it is unclear whether shipments can go on indefinitely. Insurers paused the issuing of insurance for future vessel movements under the initiative. Russia resumed its participation on 2 November after Turkish and UN mediation. Russia stated Ukraine had agreed not to use the grain export corridor to conduct military operations against Russia, while Ukraine stated no new assurances were given as Ukraine had not and will not make military use of the corridor. As of 13 November an agreement had not been reached to extend the deal, despite UN efforts. On 16 November,
Turkish president The president of Turkey, officially the president of the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Cumhurbaşkanı), is the head of state and head of government of Turkey. The president directs the executive branch of the national govern ...
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed confidence that it would be renewed for up to a year. On 17 November 2022, the UN and Ukraine announced that the agreement had been extended for a further 120 days.


Reactions

The agreement was well received by the international community while maintaining concerns over its implementation. Canadian Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau Justin Pierre James Trudeau ( , ; born December 25, 1971) is a Canadian politician who is the 23rd and current prime minister of Canada. He has served as the prime minister of Canada since 2015 and as the leader of the Liberal Party since 2 ...
stated that the G7 is "working closely with partners like Turkey and others" to get the grain out of Ukraine, while having no confidence in Russia's reliability. EU foreign policy chief
Josep Borrell Josep Borrell Fontelles (; born 24 April 1947) is a Spanish politician serving as High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy since 1 December 2019. A member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), he served ...
tweeted that the agreement was a "step in the right direction" and welcomed the efforts by the UN and Turkey. The British Foreign Secretary
Liz Truss Mary Elizabeth Truss (born 26 July 1975) is a British politician who briefly served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from September to October 2022. On her fiftieth day in office, she stepped down ...
welcomed the deal and said to be "watching to ensure Russia's actions match its words". Guy Platten, the Secretary-General of the
International Chamber of Shipping The International Chamber of Shipping is one of the world's principal shipping organisations, representing around 80% of the world's merchant tonnage through membership by national shipowners' associations. It is concerned with maritime regulatory, ...
, called the agreement a "long-needed breakthrough for the millions of people who rely on the safe passage of grain to survive". African leaders, whose countries import food from Ukraine and Russia, welcomed the agreement, with South African President
Cyril Ramaphosa Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa (born 17 November 1952) is a South African businessman and politician who is currently serving as the fifth democratically elected president of South Africa. Formerly an anti-apartheid activist, trade union leader, and ...
saying "it has taken much too long". At the signing ceremony, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the agreement "a beacon of hope". It would "bring relief for developing countries on the edge of bankruptcy and the most vulnerable people on the edge of famine." He also called the persistence of President Erdogan through every step of this process essential. Russian Defense Minister
Sergei Shoigu Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu, ; tyv, Сергей Күжүгет оглу Шойгу, translit=Sergey Kyzhyget oglu Shoygu, . (russian: Сергей Кужугетович Шойгу; born 21 May 1955) is a Russian politician who has served as ...
said after the signing ceremony that Russia would not take advantage of the fact that the ports would be cleared and opened. At the 38th meeting of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) of the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation An organization or organisation (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), is an entity—such as a company, an institution, or an association—comprising one or more people and having a particular purpose. The word is derived from ...
(OIC) in Istanbul, Erdogan remarked that over 11 million tonnes of grain had been transported through the Black Sea Grain Corridor since the implementation of the agreement. He also noted that the opening of the grain corridor through the Black Sea showed that a diplomatic solution is possible in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.Erdogan believes war in Ukraine can be stopped through diplomacy
''ukrinform.net''. Retrieved 5 December 2022.


Notes


See also

*
2022 Russia–Ukraine peace negotiations There have been several rounds of peace talks to halt Russia's 2022 invasion in Ukraine and end the Russo-Ukrainian War in an armistice. The first meeting was held four days after the start of the invasion, on 28 February, in Belarus. It co ...
*
Russia–Turkey relations Russia–Turkey relations (russian: Российско–турецкие отношения; tr, Rusya–Türkiye ilişkileri) are the bilateral relations between Russia and Turkey and their antecedent states. Relations between the two are ra ...
*
Russia–Ukraine relations There are no diplomatic or bilateral relations between Ukraine and Russia. The two countries have been in a state of war since 24 February 2022. Following the Ukrainian Revolution of Dignity in 2014, Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula was occupied by ...
* Turkey–Ukraine relations *
Russia and the United Nations The Russian Federation succeeded to the Soviet Union's seat, including its permanent membership on the Security Council in the United Nations after the 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union, which originally co-founded the UN in 1945. The succ ...
*
Turkey and the United Nations The Republic of Turkey is one of the 51 founding members of the United Nations when it signed the United Nations Conference on International Organization in 1945. Turkey has been a non permanent member of the UN Security Council for 4 terms (a t ...
*
Ukraine and the United Nations Ukraine was one of the founding members of the United Nations when it joined in 1945 as the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic; along with the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Ukraine signed the United Nations Charter when it was part of ...
*
United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union The United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union was enacted by US President Jimmy Carter in January 1980 in response to the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. It remained in effect until Ronald Reagan ended it in 1981 upon tak ...


References


External links


UN-maintained database of vessel movements and tonnages under the agreement

UN-maintained database of countries receiving cargo under the agreement broken down by income level
{{Recep Tayyip Erdoğan 2022 in Turkey 2022 in Russia 2022 in Ukraine Grain and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine 2022 in international relations 2022 in Istanbul Agreements Grain trade Food politics Agriculture in Ukraine Agriculture in Russia Foreign trade of Ukraine Foreign trade of Russia Russia–Turkey relations Turkey–Ukraine relations Turkey and the United Nations Ukraine and the United Nations Russia and the United Nations Vladimir Putin Volodymyr Zelenskyy Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Events affected by the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine History of the Black Sea