Six Turkish cargo ships trapped in Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in February 2022 will be repatriated.

Turkish defence minister Hulusi Akar made the announcement on Friday, one day after high-ranking representatives from Russia and Ukraine agreed on a framework agreement to bring Turkish ships back home.

This would be the first time that some of the 60 commercial cargo ships trapped in Ukraine, with an estimated steel value of about $440m, will be allowed to leave the war-torn country.