According to a German publication, Russia, Turkey and Qatar are preparing a new agreement to replace the broken grain agreement. bild Based on the official correspondence of Russian and Turkish diplomats from 21 July to 8 August.
“It is clear from the letters that Moscow warned Ankara in advance to withdraw from the grain agreement. Now Russia, Turkey and Qatar are working on a new tripartite agreement that should replace the expired one. It is recommended to supply Russian grain to poor countries, especially in Africa,” he writes.
Turkey will act as the organizer of the process, as planned, and Qatar will sponsor the supplies.
According to Bild, a new deal will be made this weekend. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Tatarstan President Rustem Minnikhanov have already gone to Budapest to attend the talks.
The Russian authorities have not yet confirmed the information regarding the prepared agreement.
Earlier, at the Russia-Africa summit, President Vladimir Putin said that free delivery of Russian grain to African countries could begin in October-November.
Breaking the grain deal
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan continues to persuade Moscow to reopen the previous agreement, which allowed Ukraine to export grain from four Black Sea ports, despite the preparation of a new agreement.
Star newspaper had previously written that Turkey was not working on alternatives to the grain agreement, referring to the sources at the Turkish Ministry of National Defense.
“With the successful and beneficial Grain Corridor Agreement, approximately 33 million tons of grain were shipped to countries in need during the year. Our efforts are aimed at restarting the agreement on the grain corridor, and apart from this, no other work is being done, ”said the interlocutor of the publication.
However, according to them, several countries are trying to create alternative supply routes.
The question is how can merchant ships dock safely in the Turkish Straits in the event of a conflict. It’s okay for ships to approach through the straits,” Star says, quoting a defense ministry employee.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba in an interview on Aug. acceptedHe said the Turkish president could help renew the grain deal.
“Last year, an agreement on grain was reached through the mediation of UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Turkish President Erdogan. There were two separate agreements with us and with Moscow. “This could be an option: a creative approach is needed to find solutions.”
The grain agreement expired on July 18, the Russian Federation refused to renew the agreement. The country’s Ministry of Defense has declared areas in the northwestern and southeastern parts of the international waters of the Black Sea to be temporarily dangerous to navigation. Moscow stressed that it will consider all ships bound for Ukrainian ports as potential military cargo carriers.