KYIV, July 16 (Reuters) - The last ship to travel under a U.N.-brokered deal that allows the safe Black Sea export of Ukrainian grain left the port of Odesa early on Sunday ahead of a deadline to extend the agreement, according to a Reuters witness and MarineTraffic.com.
A United Nations spokesman said on Friday that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was waiting for a response from Russian President Vladimir Putin on a proposal to extend the deal.
Russia has repeatedly threatened to quit the deal, brokered by the U.N. and Turkey in July 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment on whether the ship, the Turkish-flagged TQ Samsun, had left Odesa.
Ukraine and Russia are among the world's top grain exporters.
Persons:
Antonio Guterres, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Cyril Ramaphosa, Iryna Nazarchuk, Dan Peleschuk, Barbara Lewis
Organizations:
United Nations, South, Thomson
Locations:
Russia, Moscow, Turkey, Ukraine, Turkish, Samsun, Odesa