World leaders are scrambling to save an agreement that would deliver food to those who need it most. They are urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to resume grain shipments out of ports on the Black Sea.

On Saturday, the Russians withdrew from the deal brokered by Turkey and the United Nations. They say Ukrainian drones struck their fleet in the Crimean port of Sevastopol. They criticized the Ukrainians for putting grain ships, and their Russian escorts, at risk.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Putin on Tuesday and asked him to reverse his decision. Putin said he will consider once an investigation into the attacks is complete.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke to reporters in Ankara and said concrete steps must be taken to remove obstacles against exporting grain and fertilizer from both Russia and Ukraine. He said the whole world needs these goods.

Cavusoglu added that Erdogan will also make an appeal to Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy has said he trusts negotiators from Turkey and the UN will be able to defuse the "rhetoric" being put out by Russia.

On the battlefield, Ukrainian troops have retaken ground in the south that they had lost in the early days of the invasion.

Russia-installed authorities in the Kherson region have already evacuated people from along the western bank of the Dnipro River. Now, they are extending that to the eastern bank. They say Ukrainian troops may be planning to attack a key dam in an attempt to flood people out of their homes.