In the midst of a worldwide food crisis, a Ukrainian official expressed optimism that a deal may be reached with Russia to reopen the Black Sea for commercial exports of grain.
Millions of tones of wheat and barley stuck in Ukrainian storehouses, unable to be shipped out of the country, have been a major factor in the dramatic rise of food costs internationally.
Currently, Russia’s Black Sea fleet is blocking exports from Ukraine along the waterway, with Western governments also accusing Russian troops of stealing Ukrainian grain.
There are also accusations by both sides of the sea being mined.
Talks that took place in Turkey on Wednesday, including Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations, sought to find a way past the current impasse.
Ukraine’s infrastructure minister was optimistic that a solution could be reached.
"I hope we will achieve some results, some practical results very soon," Oleksandr Kubrakov told BBC News. "I hope we will see this green corridor appear in the Black Sea."
The “green corridor” would enable a shipping lane way in and out of Odessa, with the space cleared of mines. But some analysts predict such a measure could take months to implement, while food prices continue to climb.
But Kubrakov said it could be accomplished in a matter of “weeks, not months.”
That would mean Ukrainian grain exports could resume in a short span of time.
"Weeks, yes, you're absolutely right. If we see there are some guarantees of safety navigation in the Black Sea,” he said.