Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s working visits to Kiev and Moscow to negotiate a grain deal could help reopen the Black Sea humanitarian corridor, but the real decision will be made at a meeting between Turkish and Russian leaders. Such an opinion in an interview TASS Said a diplomatic source in Turkey.
Fidan, who will visit Kiev on August 25, will then go to the capital of Russia. Turkish media writes that the meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin could probably be held in September in Russia.
“Given the progress made by the Turkish side in consultations with the participants of the grain agreement, the UN and the West, there are grounds for this[restart of the grain agreement],” the agency’s source said.
On July 22, 2022, representatives of Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the UN signed a “grain agreement” in Istanbul. The agreement includes Russia’s assistance in exporting grain, food and fertilizer to the Black Sea from Ukraine’s three ports, including Odessa.
In Istanbul, a memorandum was signed between the Russian Federation and the UN, which included the organization’s obligations to lift restrictions on the export of Russian agricultural products and fertilizers to world markets.
The deal expired on 17 July 2023.
August 22 Russian President Vladimir Putin declarationThat Russia is ready to return to join the grain agreement, but only if all its obligations to itself are actually fulfilled.
Last ship previously covered by grain agreement left Black Sea.