Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met on Monday, September 4, in Sochi, Russia, with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. For the Turkish president, this included convincing Vladimir Putin to resurrect the deal on Ukrainian grain exports, from which Moscow withdrew in July. Negotiated under the aegis of Ankara and the UN in the summer of 2022, this agreement aimed to allow grain exports via Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea.
At the end of this meeting, the Turkish president said he was opposed to “alternatives” to the agreement on the export of Ukrainian cereals via the Black Sea, saying he was preparing “proposals” to resurrect the agreement. “Alternative proposals on the agenda cannot offer a sustainable and secure model based on cooperation between parties, such as the Black Sea Initiative,” Turkish President said in Sochi after meeting a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. The Turkish head of state clarified that Turkey was preparing “a new set of proposals in consultation with the UN” to resuscitate the agreement, which is crucial for the world’s food supply.
For his part, Vladimir Putin has once again said he is ready to relaunch the cereal agreement provided that his demands are met. Russia says exporting its own agricultural products and fertilizers to the international market is hampered by Western sanctions. He also claimed that Russia will soon deliver free grain to six African countries as promised at the end of July. “We are about to conclude agreements with six African states to which we intend to provide free grain in the coming weeks,” he said at a press conference.
Moreover, the Kiev counter-offensive launched in early June, which allowed the Ukrainian army to retake some localities from Russia, is, according to him, “a failure”. “It’s not a mistake, it’s a failure. In any case, this is exactly what it looks like today, launched the Russian president. We’ll see what happens next, but hopefully it stays that way. »
