Turkey believes that Russia will resume the Ukrainian grain export agreement

The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, believes that it is possible for Russia to resume soon the agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea ports, from which Moscow withdrew in July, reports english.alarabiya.net. Erdogan declared yesterday, after some discussions he had with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi: "We believe that, in a short time, we will reach a solution that meets expectations."

This was his first face-to-face meeting with Putin since 2022.

For his part, Putin, who believes the West is still restricting Russian agricultural exports, said: "We will be ready to consider the possibility of resuming the grain agreement. I told Mr. President of Turkey again that we will do this as soon as all agreements on the lifting of restrictions on the export of Russian agricultural products are fully implemented. The West continues to block the supply of grain and fertilizers from the Russian Federation to world markets. The West lied to Russia about the deal."

We remind you that, in July, Russia decided not to be a party to the grain export agreement through the Black Sea. The deal, brokered by the UN and Turkey in July 2022, allowed Ukraine to export grain from its Black Sea ports despite the war to ease a global food crisis. The agreement was extended several times, but it expired on July 17, and Moscow decided not to extend it. Previously, the Russian authorities warned that the conditions for a new extension are no longer met. Moscow has repeatedly complained that Russian grain and fertilizer exports face obstacles, even though they are not directly subject to Western sanctions. Russia has launched several claims that it claims have not been resolved.

Ahead of yesterday's meeting, Putin said Russia could return to the grain deal if the West meets the terms of a separate memorandum agreed with the United Nations to facilitate Russian food and fertilizer exports.

Yesterday, Akif Cagatay Kilic, Erdoğan's main foreign policy and security advisor, said on the Haber TV station: "We are playing a leading role here (n.r. in the issue of the grain agreement). We are cautious, but we hope to achieve success".

Also yesterday, the most important people responsible for Turkey's economic policies had meetings with their counterparts from Russia, accompanying President Erdogan. Sources cited by Reuters said that Ankara's finance minister, Mehmet Simsek, and Hafize Gaye Erkan, the central bank governor, attended the meetings in Sochi. Simsek and Erkan were appointed in June, after Erdogan's re-election for a new presidential term. The two have the task of returning to more correct economic policies than those practiced previously, in an electoral context, and which led to a worsening of the situation of the Turkish economy.