Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Tuesday advances in the negotiations for the export of cereals from Ukraine through the Black Sea and thanked his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for his mediation in the process.
According to the Russian head of state, quoted in a statement released by the Kremlin (Russian presidency), the Turkish mediation allowed the process to move forward, despite the fact that “all issues have not yet been resolved.”
“I appreciate [a Erdogan] for his mediation efforts, for offering Turkey as a base for negotiations on food production issues and grain export issues through the Black Sea,” Putin stressed after a meeting in Tehran.
The two leaders are in the Iranian capital to talk with the Iranian counterpart, Ebrahim Raisi, about the conflict in Syria, but also about the war in Ukraine.
Putin and Erdogan must discuss the mechanisms to allow the export of grain from Ukraine through safe sea corridorsblocked by the Russian military offensive in this country, which threatens to cause a global food crisis.
The negotiations – which involve Moscow, kyiv, Ankara and the UN – are scheduled for the next few days, in Turkey, after the beginning of the process of analyzing a way out of the problem, which began on July 13.
Turkey hosts new round of Russia-Ukraine talks on grain exports
The Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday that a “final document” to allow the export of grain from Ukraine would be ready soon.
The agreement negotiated by the UN aims to bring about 20 million tons of grain through the Black Sea that are locked in Ukrainian silos due to the Russian offensive in Ukraine.
The deal is also expected to facilitate Russian grain and fertilizer exports, which have been affected by Western sanctions affecting Russian logistics and financial chains.
Russian and Ukrainian agricultural products are essential to prevent food crises from multiplying in the world.
During Tuesday’s meeting with Erdogan, Vladimir Putin also mentioned “the many questions” on the solution to the conflict in Syria, as well as “another important issue”, the Nagorno-Karabakh solution [conflito entre a Arménia e o Azerbaijão pelo enclave separatista].
“We have a very busy schedule and I am very happy to see you,” Putin added, in remarks addressed to the Turkish president.
Source: Observadora
