Leaders from the United Nations and Turkey feared they might see the end of an agreement they had brokered to help prevent famine. However, they have managed to salvage a deal to export Ukrainian grain to Africa, the Middle East and beyond.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced in Ankara on Wednesday that the Black Sea Grain Corridor deal will be extended for two months.

Russian leaders have complained that Western sanctions hurt exports of their agricultural products and fertilizer. They threatened to leave the agreement by a Thursday deadline, and they still want those "distractions" to be "corrected." However, they said they agreed to the extension "to help the countries most in need."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the deal is "good news for the world." However, he added that "outstanding issues remain" and that the parties still need to make sure exports reach global supply chains "safely and predictably."

Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov used social media to call on the Russians to "stop using food as a weapon." He said he hopes the partners can get the grain deal to work to bolster the world's food security.