The first signs of progress have emerged in the grain crisis as Turkey’s defense chief announced that Ukraine and Russia have agreed in principle on some technical issues for the safe export of Ukrainian grain, raising hopes of a breakthrough amid a looming global food crisis.

After a four-way meeting between Russian, Ukrainian and Turkish military delegations as well as UN officials in Istanbul today, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that Kyiv and Moscow “agreed on principal” over a series of “fundamental technical” issues including establishment of a coordination center in Istanbul; joint security checks at entering and exiting points of ships; and ensuring navigational safety on shipping routes.

“We see that the parties are willing to resolve this conflict. We will try to strike a solution with coordination of the UN,” he said, adding that the parties would sign an "understanding" on a range of agreed issues during the second round of talks to be held in Istanbul next week.

Akar described the talks which lasted some one and a half hours, as “positive and constructive,” adding that today's reconciliation marks “a significant step” towards ending the crisis. Yet he stopped short of providing details on major stumbling blocks, including a Ukrainian demand for third-party security guarantees.