Turkish, Saudi foreign ministers discuss Ukrainian grain export deal

By Emre Karaca

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke by phone Wednesday with his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on a UN-backed deal signed by Russia and Ukraine to resume Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea.

The two also spoke about bilateral ties and cooperation in international platforms, especially the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

Türkiye, the UN, Russia and Ukraine signed a deal Friday in Istanbul to resume Ukraine’s Black Sea grain exports.

The deal came after a general agreement was reached between the parties on a UN-led plan during talks in Istanbul on July 13 to form a coordination center to carry out joint inspections at the entrance and exit of the harbors and to ensure the safety of the routes.

Internationally praised for its mediator role, Türkiye has coordinated with Moscow and Kyiv to open a corridor from the Ukrainian port city of Odesa to resume global grain shipments which are stuck due to the Russia-Ukraine war, now in its sixth month.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan