Over 550 ships carried more than 14 million tons of grain through the Black Sea grain corridor brokered by Türkiye and the United Nations earlier this year amid the ongoing grain crisis due to the Russia-Ukraine war.

"The shipment of grain from Ukrainian ports continues. Up until today, 556 grain-loaded ships left Ukrainian ports. 560 ships went to Ukrainian ports for shipment," the Defense Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

This July, Türkiye, the U.N., Russia, and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which were paused after the Russia-Ukraine war began in February. A Joint Coordination Center with officials from the three countries and the U.N. was set up in Istanbul to oversee the shipments.

The first ship carrying grain departed on Aug. 1 from the Ukrainian port of Odessa under the historic deal.

Türkiye, internationally praised for its unique mediator role between Ukraine and Russia, has repeatedly called on Kyiv and Moscow to end the war through negotiations.