United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the Russia-Ukraine grain deal has been extended to facilitate Ukraine's agricultural exports through the Black Sea.

The Black Sea grain deal was due to expire on Saturday.
Guterres said in a statement released on Thursday that he welcomed the agreement by all parties to extend the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

The UN and Turkey brokered the deal that was reached in July. It allowed Ukraine to resume agricultural shipments from its Black Sea ports amid the continued fighting.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also confirmed the extension, tweeting that the deal "will be prolonged for 120 days."

Russia has yet to issue any official statement.

Attention had been focused on whether the grain deal would be extended, amid increasing concerns about a global food crisis.