We had another chance to learn about Russia's demands and expectations first-hand during a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin - said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with Russian President Vladimir Putin
As reported by Bloomberg, Turkey's president said talks were underway to renew the grain deal, but he said a solution to the situation depended on Western countries "keeping their promises". However, Erdogan did not specify what promises he meant.
- Unfortunately, in the previous period, the principle of loyalty was not respected. No diplomatic steps were taken to turn the positive atmosphere created by the Black Sea Initiative into a ceasefire and then a lasting peace.
Vladimir Putin may fly to Turkey for talks with Recep Tayyip Erdogan in late August, Turkish news website Hürriyet reported earlier
According to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, the Turkish president may once again propose a ceasefire in Ukraine to Putin.
Before the Russian invasion, Ukraine was a major grain exporter. Its crops were sent around the world primarily by sea. After the Russian invasion began, Ukrainian ports were blocked and exports through the Black Sea and the Bosphorus Strait stopped.
After a few months, it was at least partially restored. Under the grain agreement that Russia and Ukraine concluded in parallel with the UN and Turkey in July 2022, the export of agricultural products from Ukraine through ports in the south of the country, through safe corridors on the Black Sea, was unblocked.
The contract was extended several times. In May, Moscow threatened not to agree to another extension after May 18, arguing that the list of its demands to allow exports of Russian agricultural products and fertilizers had not been met. In July, it again threatened not to renew it.