Negotiations began in Geneva between UN officials and Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Serhiy Vershinin regarding the possible extension of the agreement on the safe export of grain from the Black Sea ports of Ukraine.

 This is reported by Reuters.

 The Black Sea Grain Initiative aims to prevent a global food crisis by allowing Ukrainian grain, blocked by the Russian invasion, to be safely exported from three ports.

 The grain agreement was concluded in July and extended for 120 days in November. Her term expires on March 18.

 Moscow has already said it would agree to an extension only if restrictions on its own exports were lifted. But many diplomats and senior officials, including Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, are optimistic that the agreement will be extended.

 Russian officials say that while the country's agricultural exports have not been directly restricted by the West, sanctions on its payment, logistics and insurance industries have created a barrier to the ability to export its own grain and fertilizer.

 UN trade representative Rebecca Greenspan and aid chief Martin Griffiths arrived at the UN's European headquarters in Geneva on Monday morning without comment.

 Two sources involved in the talks said they were originally supposed to last only one day but could be extended if necessary.

 The head of the President's Office, Andriy Yermak, said that Ukraine insists on an indefinite extension of the grain agreement, but it is possible that it will be extended for a short period of four months.