Ukraine says only Turkish President Erdogan can bring Russia back to Black Sea grain deal

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukraine on Thursday said that only Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan can bring Russia back to the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

“Ukraine is coordinating (efforts) with Erdogan to bring (Russian President Vladimir) Putin back to the Black Sea grain deal, and Erdogan is coordinating with (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy. This is a common interest. Erdogan is the only leader who can get Putin back to the deal,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in an interview with local Ukrinform news agency.

On July 17, Russia suspended its participation in the Black Sea grain deal, saying the Russian part of the agreement was not implemented. It sought the loosening of banking restrictions and the ability to ship its fertilizer before returning to the agreement.

The agreement, initially signed in July of last year in Istanbul by Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine, was aimed at resuming grain exports from Ukrainian ports halted due to the Russia-Ukraine war, which began in February 2022.

Türkiye has said that Western countries should try to address Russia's complaints and that it hopes Russia returns to the deal.