ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday congratulated President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan after Russia and Ukraine signed a landmark deal with the United Nations and Turkiye on resuming grain supply to avert a global food crisis, affecting millions across the globe. The prime minister on his Twitter handle, said that Ukraine grain deal inked in Istanbul was a historic victory of diplomacy, signifying that all crises could be averted through meaningful engagement. “Ukraine grain deal inked in Istanbul is a historic victory of diplomacy signifying that all crises can be averted through meaningful engagement. On this remarkable achievement, I congratulate my brother RT Erdogan & thank Turkiye for its key role in preventing global food crisis,” the prime minister posted a tweet. Yesterday, Russian defence minister and Ukrainian infrastructure minister signed agreements separately with the UN and Turkish officials on reopening of Black Sea routes. Expressing his pleasure over the successful signing of agreement, the Turkish president in a tweet posted, “With the agreement reached today, we have contributed to averting the hunger that awaits billions of people, from Africa to the Middle East, from America to Asia. May this initiative, which is essential for solving the food crisis, be auspicious for our countries and humanity.” Both Ukraine and Russia are among the largest exporters of grain in the world. In the wake of Russian-Ukrainian conflict on February 24, Black Sea supply routes were blocked which saw Ukrainian’s exports dropping to one-sixth of the pre-war level, thus spiraling grain prices and causing pressure on different world economies. The deal will pave way for export of about five million metric tonnes of grain each month. The deal would avert increasing threats of hunger and food inflation by injecting more wheat, sunflower oil, fertiliser, and other products into the global market.