Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said the importance of an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine in a conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Alexey Reznikov.

Akar said Turkey, especially President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will continue to contribute to peace in the region and humanitarian aid at all levels.

He said that about 17 million tons of grain have been safely shipped from Ukrainian ports to needy countries thanks to the work of the Joint Coordination Center established in the framework of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Anadolu news agency reported.