Turkey’s President Erdogan Aims to Revive Black Sea Grain Deal in Talks with Russia’s President Putin

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan expressed optimism about his upcoming talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing the potential for restoring the Black Sea grain initiative. He urged Western countries to consider Russia’s demands in order to maintain the humanitarian effort of the grain deal. Erdogan made these remarks during a press briefing on his return flight from a trip to Gulf countries and northern Cyprus.

According to Erdogan, the termination of the Black Sea grain deal could have severe consequences, including a surge in global food prices, scarcity in certain regions, and the possibility of triggering new waves of migration. To avert such outcomes, he emphasized the importance of engaging in a thorough discussion with President Putin to find a resolution.

The Black Sea grain deal, facilitated by the United Nations and Turkey, allowed for the safe export of Ukrainian grain for the past year. However, Russia recently withdrew from the agreement and revoked guarantees of safe navigation, resulting in a halt to grain shipments from Ukrainian ports.

Moscow has made it clear that it would consider returning to the deal only if its demands are met, particularly regarding easier access for its food and fertilizer exports to international markets. Western countries, on the other hand, argue that Russia has no difficulty selling food, as it is exempt from financial sanctions.

President Erdogan stressed that President Putin also has certain expectations from Western countries. He called on these nations to take appropriate actions in response to Russia’s demands.

The situation escalated further as Russia continued to target Ukrainian food export facilities for the fourth consecutive day and practiced ship seizures in the Black Sea. Western leaders perceive these actions as an attempt by Russia to evade sanctions, leading to concerns of a global food crisis.

Despite the challenges, President Erdogan remains hopeful about finding a resolution and expressed his wish for President Putin to visit Turkey in August. He expressed confidence in reaching an agreement and ensuring the continuation of the Black Sea grain initiative without unnecessary delays.