Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that the grain deal that allowed Ukraine to safely export grain through the Black Sea will not be restored until the West honors its commitments to facilitate Russian agricultural exports.
Putin made the statement after talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who helped negotiate the deal seen as vital to the world’s food supply, particularly in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Ukraine and Russia are Main suppliers of wheat, barley and sunflower oil and other goods that developing countries depend on.
Alexei Nikolsky/Sputnik/Kremlin pool photo via Associated Press
But Russia refused to renew the deal in July, complaining that a deal that promised to remove barriers to Russian food and fertilizer exports had not been honored. It said shipping and insurance restrictions were hampering agricultural trade, even though the company had been shipping record quantities of wheat since last year.
Putin said if those commitments were honored, Russia could return to the deal “within the next few days.”
He also said that Russia is on the verge of concluding an agreement on the free supply of grain to six African countries. The Russian leader added that Russia will ship 1 million tons (1.1 million tonnes) of cheap grain to Turkey for processing and delivery to poor countries.
This is a recent update. AP’s earlier story follows below.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday tried to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to revive an agreement However, this allowed Ukraine to export grain and other goods from three Black Sea ports the war with Russia.
Putin in July refused an extension the deal, negotiated a year earlier by Turkey and the United Nations, seen as vital to the world’s food supply, particularly in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Ukraine and Russia are Main suppliers of wheat, barley and sunflower oil and other goods that developing countries depend on.
Erdogan said the grain deal was the main topic during the day-long talks between the two leaders in Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi, where the Russian president has a residence.
“Everyone is concerned with the issue of the grain corridor,” Erdogan said in his opening speech.
Putin admitted that “issues related to the Ukraine crisis” were being discussed between them.
“I know you intend to ask questions about the grain deal. We are open to negotiations on this issue,” he told Erdogan, echoing the Kremlin’s official position on international efforts to revive the deal.
Russia broke off the deal, complaining that a parallel deal that called for removing barriers to Russian food and fertilizer exports had not been honored. It said shipping and insurance restrictions were hampering agricultural trade, even though the company had been shipping record quantities of wheat since last year.
A lot depends on the talks for the world food supply. “I believe that the message we will deliver after our meeting will be an important step for the world, especially for the underdeveloped African countries,” Erdogan said.
Since Putin withdrew from the Grains Initiative, Erdogan has repeatedly promised to renew agreements that have helped avert a food crisis in parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
The meeting took place against the background of Ukraine recent counteroffensive against the invading forces of the Kremlin.
In the latest development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that Defense Minister will be Oleksii Reznikov replaced this week. The job requires “new approaches,” said Selenskyj, without going into detail. Reznikov published a photo of his resignation letter on Monday.
Analysts expect tough negotiations in Sochi.
“My gut feeling is that Putin recognizes the leverage he has by using food as an economic weapon and will therefore fight for whatever concessions he can get on his wish list,” said Tim Benton, food security expert at Washington Post think tank Chatham House.
These could include Russia’s grain or fertilizer exports or broader issues, he said.
This is shown by data from the joint coordination center in Istanbul, which organized the deliveries to Ukraine 57% of grain from Ukraine went to developing countrieswith the most important destination being China, which received almost a quarter of the food.
Russia has repeatedly attacked the Odessa region, Ukraine’s main Black Sea port. On Monday, Ukraine’s Air Force said it had intercepted 23 of 32 drones targeting the Odea and Dnipropetrovsk regions, but gave no details on the damage caused by the drones that flew through.
The Turkish president maintained close ties with Putin during the 18-month war in Ukraine. Turkey has not joined Western sanctions against Russia following its invasion and has emerged as a key trading partner and logistical hub for Russia’s overseas trade.
At the beginning of the talks, Putin mentioned various areas of bilateral cooperation, such as a planned Russian gas hub in Turkey and the construction of the first nuclear power plant there, in which Moscow is actively involved.
However, NATO member Turkey has also backed Ukraine, sent arms, met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and backed Kiev’s bid to join NATO.
Erdogan angered Moscow in July when he allowed five Ukrainian commanders to return home. The soldiers had been captured by Russia and extradited to Turkey on the condition that they stay there for the duration of the war.
Putin and Erdogan — authoritarian leaders who have both been in power for more than two decades — are said to have a close relationship that arose after a failed coup against Erdogan in 2016, when Putin was the first major leader to offer his support.
The Sochi summit follows talks between Russian and Turkish foreign ministers on Thursday, at which Russia handed out a list of measures the West would need to take to allow Ukraine’s Black Sea exports to resume.
Erdogan has expressed sympathy for Putin’s position. In July, he said Putin had “certain expectations of Western countries” regarding the Black Sea Agreement and that it was “crucial for those countries to take action in this regard.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently delivered “concrete proposals” to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov aimed at bringing Russian exports to world markets and allowing the Black Sea Initiative to resume. But Lavrov said Moscow was not happy with the letter.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described Turkey’s “intense” efforts to revive the deal, saying it is a “process that seeks to better understand and accommodate Russia’s position and desires”.
