What was the Black Sea grain deal and why did it collapse?

What was the Black Sea grain deal? The Black Sea grain initiative was negotiated in July 2022 between Turkey, the UN and Russia, as a way of ensuring that Ukraine, one of the breadbaskets of the world, could ensure that its grain could leave the southern ports of Ukraine via the Bosphorus and then on to world markets. The grain simply could not be exported in the quantities required using alternative methods of road or rail through Poland and by canal and river through Romania. Turkey was involved due both to the close relationship between the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip…