Grain deal could restart Russia-Ukraine talks, says Turkish presidential aide

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - The landmark Istanbul grain deal could work as a platform to restart negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said.

"We still believe that the trust that we were able to build through the UN between the Russian and Ukrainian sides for a grain deal could in fact can work as a platform to restart or reinitiate the negotiations again," Kalin told CNN on Tuesday.

Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed a deal last month to resume grain exports from the Ukrainian Black Sea ports of Yuzhny, Chornomorsk and Odesa, which were halted due to the Russia-Ukraine war, now in its seventh month.

However, Kalin said any move forward requires not only the willingness of Russians and Ukrainians but also the support of the international community.

Türkiye remains "very much concerned" about any escalation of war and violence in Ukraine, Kalin said, adding Ankara is working "very hard" through different channels to bring the sides closer.

- 'Nobody wants nuclear disaster'

About the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southeastern Ukraine, Kalin said the situation remains "very critical" there, adding: "We don't want to end up with another Chernobyl accident."

The UN said Tuesday that preparations are underway to send a team from the International Atomic Energy Agency to the Russia-controlled nuclear power plant for inspection.

Kalin said the upcoming visit of the team will provide "some kind of a break or pause" in the tense situation around the plant, adding: "Of course, nobody wants to have a nuclear disaster."

He added that Türkiye is doing its best and called on the international community to support this initiative to secure the NPP adding: "...but there is a lot of work to do there."

- Crimea

Kalin said Türkiye's position remains the same after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

"We never recognize the annexation of Crimea. It was not legal. It was not lawful. Crimea is legally and historically part of Ukraine," he said.

Kalin added Türkiye supports Ukraine's territorial integrity, saying: "...any solution to this conflict will have to be reached on the basis of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."