Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria have signed a memorandum of understanding to locate and clear floating sea mines in the Black Sea to facilitate the safe transport of Ukrainian grain exports, Bloomberg reported.
Mines floating in certain areas of the Black Sea as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine will be the focus of the Turkey-led initiative. Russia and Ukraine are major producers and exporters of grain, and the war increasingly threatens the safe passage of shipments.

The memorandum of understanding was signed on January 11 in Istanbul, the first major joint action by the Black Sea nations since Moscow sent forces to Ukraine in February 2022.
Turkey brokered a UN-backed deal later that year to ensure free passage of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, but Russia pulled out of the deal in July 2023.
Since then, Ukraine has transported nearly 15 million tons of cargo through its alternative Black Sea corridor, which runs along the coast near Romania and Bulgaria to Turkey since mid-September, mainly food products.
Secure supply is a priority at this point, amid higher estimates for the region's crop. Ukrainian authorities expect a harvest of 79 million tonnes of grain and oilseeds in 2023-24, with an exportable surplus of 50 million tonnes. Before Russia invaded Ukraine, Ukraine accounted for 9% of world exports of wheat, 15% of corn and 44% of sunflower oil.