Photo: AFP/Dogukan Keskinkilic
Eurasia
04/09/2023 19:12
But Russia refused to extend the deal in July, complaining that an agreement promising to remove obstacles to Russian exports of food and fertiliser hadn’t been honoured. It said restrictions on shipping and insurance hampered its agricultural trade even though it has shipped record amounts of wheat since last year.
Putin said that if those commitments were honoured, Russia could return to the deal “within the nearest days”.
He also said that Russia is close to finalising an agreement to provide free grain to six African countries. The Russian leader added that Russia will ship 1 million metric tons (1.1 million tons) of cheap grain to Turkey for processing and delivery to poor countries.
Erdogan said after Monday’s talks that Ankara was against alternative proposals to last year’s Ukraine grain agreement, according to SCMP.
“The alternative proposals brought to the agenda could not offer a sustainable, secure and permanent model based on cooperation between the parties like the Black Sea Initiative,” Erdogan said at a joint media appearance with Putin in Sochi.
Erdogan said on Monday that Turkey and the United Nations had prepared new proposals aimed at addressing Russia’s problems with the deal, adding that he hoped to reach a workable solution “soon”.
“We have prepared a new proposal package in consultation with the UN. I believe that it is possible to get results. I believe that a solution that will meet Turkey’s expectations will be reached soon,” Erdogan said.
