Grain Announcement
MOSCOW: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Monday that he would deliver a “very important” statement concerning Ukrainian grain exports following his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi.
Erdogan expressed his belief that the message to be conveyed during the post-meeting press conference would hold significant global importance, particularly for underdeveloped African nations. The announcement came during the opening remarks of their meeting.
Erdogan, accompanied by a substantial delegation including Turkey’s ministers of defense, foreign affairs, energy, and finance, engaged in his first face-to-face meeting with Putin since his re-election in May.
One of the key topics discussed was the effort to revive a UN-backed agreement facilitating the safe passage of grain from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports.
Turkey and Russia have seen their ties expand in various domains, with a particular focus on energy cooperation. Erdogan expressed his government’s aspiration to increase annual trade with Russia from $62 billion to $100 billion.
He also voiced support for Moscow’s initiative to shift a portion of this trade into local currencies, emphasizing the importance of such currency arrangements in bilateral relations.
Turkey, a NATO member, aims to employ the grain agreement as a foundation for restarting peace negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv.
Throughout the war, Ankara has maintained amicable relations with both sides, abstaining from Western sanctions imposed on Russia while simultaneously supplying arms to Ukraine.
This diplomatic effort by Turkey underscores its role as a mediator in regional conflicts and its commitment to seeking peaceful solutions, even in complex geopolitical contexts.
The announcement regarding Ukrainian grain exports holds promise for addressing the ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine, and it reflects Turkey’s pursuit of diplomacy and economic collaboration on the global stage.
