Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said “preparations are underway for talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Samarkand to discuss a food deal and the supply of Russian products.”

Peskov pointed out that “the second part of the food deal, related to market access for Russian products, has not been implemented.”

Earlier, Erdogan discussed with Putin during a telephone conversation “bilateral relations and regional issues, in addition to grain shipments and development at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant.” They also reaffirmed “their intention to move ahead with the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Turkey, the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant”. Erdogan pointed out that “Turkey can play a mediating role in the Zaporozhye plant issue, similar to its role in the grain agreement.”

The leaders of the two countries agreed to discuss in detail the above issues, as well as other issues on their agenda, during their meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, as part of their participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit scheduled for mid-September.