Pakistan has decided to reach out to the United Nations secretary general and foreign ministers of Turkiye and Russia to discuss the country’s desire to restore the grain deal.

“I will be reaching out to the United Nations secretary general and to my counterparts in Turkey and Russia to discuss Pakistan’s concerns and our desire for the black sea grain initiative to be restored,” he said at a joint press conference alongside his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Islamabad on Thursday.

The deal on resumption of Ukrainian grain exports via the Black Sea was signed last year in Istanbul, Türkiye. The UN plan, which is linked to efforts to ensure Russian food and fertilizer reach global markets, supports the stabilization of spiralling food prices worldwide and stave off famine, affecting millions.

The Initiative specifically allows for commercial food and fertilizer (including ammonia) exports from three key Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea – Odesa, Chornomorsk, Yuzhny/Pivdennyi.

Bilawal was of the view that it was in the “larger interest” of Pakistan as well as the developed world that the grain deal should be restored.

While speaking about the issue of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Dmytro Kuleba said during the meeting he briefed the minister about the Russian withdrawal from the initiatives on Monday and about its consequences for global food security.

“We regret that it will be Ukraine and countries of Asia and Africa, who will suffer the most from Russia’s withdrawal”, he said adding that by doing so Russia significantly undermined global food security which would result in a hike in global food prices.

He said Ukraine considered Pakistan a good partner and it was ready to work in all areas, especially in the area of food security.

FM Bilawal said during the meeting, the Ukrainian situation was also discussed and he expressed Pakistan’s “deep concern” at the prevailing situation and offered condolences on the loss of precious lives and immense human suffering.

“In a gesture of solidarity with the people of Ukraine and despite our own economic challenges, we have sent humanitarian assistance,” he said adding that prolonged conflict brought immense hardship and suffering to the civilian populations.

He hoped that peace would prevail so that the people of Ukraine and Russia could enjoy peace dividends. The foreign minister also emphasised the importance of peaceful resolution of disputes and conflicts through dialogue and engagement and Pakistan’s readiness to support peace initiatives which can bring peace to the region.

Bilawal said Pakistan had a vested interest in promoting peace and reconciliation. “We hope for a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.”

The minister also appreciated the Ukrainian government for its principled stance in supporting the resolution on countering religious hatred constituting incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on July 12.

The Ukrainian foreign minister said since Ukrainian independence, the two countries had enjoyed an “excellent” relationship.

“We were always standing next to you in terms of the food crisis,” he said and recalled that two years ago Ukraine felt pleasure to help Pakistan encountering the wheat shortage as the Ukrainian traders delivered more than one million tons of grain to Pakistan.

Kuleba also thanked Pakistan for providing humanitarian aid in the time when Ukraine needed it most and “We understand it was not an easy decision in terms of domestic economic situation but this is what friends do, they help each other in time of greatest needs”.

He said during the meeting both sides deliberated upon boosting trade and solving the existing problems such as that of Pakistani students who had studied in Ukraine before the war started.

He said he also briefed the minister about the opportunities, Ukraine offered in the area of digitisation of state services to make government more convenient.

Replying to a query, Bilawal categorically stated that Pakistan did not have any agreement with Ukraine with respect to the military supplies to Ukraine since the war began.

“Since the war began, we have not concluded any agreement for defence supplies to Ukraine,” he added.

Pakistan and Ukraine agreed to expand cooperation in all areas of mutual benefit including trade, investment, agriculture, food security, defence cooperation, cultural exchanges and people-to-people contacts.

“In our meeting today, we agreed on the importance of regular dialogue and engagements to further strengthen the bilateral ties. We have also agreed to hold meetings on various institutional mechanisms in due course. We will continue to build on our conversation to add more substance to our relations,” Bilawal said.

He said building bilateral trade and economic ties was a priority area for Pakistan.

The Ukrainian foreign minister said both sides agreed to reinvigorate the bilateral mechanisms as both looked forward to holding the inaugural meeting of the Ukrainian and Pakistani Commission of economic cooperation.