US lauds upcoming Turkish talks with Russia on global food security

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The Biden administration on Tuesday lauded upcoming talks between the Russian and Turkish top diplomats aimed at resolving the world’s ongoing food crisis.

"We understand and we certainly support the diplomatic efforts that our Turkish allies are forging in an effort to bring this war to a close, in the first instance diminish the violence. And also find ways to facilitate the export of Ukrainian foodstuffs, including Ukrainian wheat," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.

The comments come after Turkish Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kain said Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkiye's president, is holding diplomatic talks with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts aimed at restoring Ukrainian agricultural exports.

Erdogan told both leaders that Turkiye is ready to play a facilitating role, according to Kalin, who added that Ukraine and Russia gave a positive response and stated they wanted to carry out the process through Ankara.

Russia's war, now on its fourth month, has left key Ukrainian ports cut off by Moscow's warships. Ukrainian exports that are vital to the global economy, notably grain and fertilizer, have been forced to go overland in a much less efficient form of transport as agricultural production has markedly decreased amid the conflict.

Ukraine's agricultural exports are expected to be discussed when Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visits Turkiye on June 8.

"We stated that the negotiations will be held here, hosted by our Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mevlut Cavusoglu. Therefore, the details of this issue will become clearer during this visit next week. As Turkiye, we are ready to start this as soon as possible," said Kalin.

In response to a question about whether there will be a visit from Ukraine, Kalin said, "There is no planned visit at the moment, but our doors are always open to our Ukrainian friends."

The Russian assault on Ukraine has devastated global food markets, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appealed directly to Russia to allow Ukrainian grain exports to flow through Ukrainian ports.

"Let’s be clear: there is no effective solution to the food crisis without reintegrating Ukraine’s food production, as well as the food and fertilizer produced by Russia and Belarus, into world markets -- despite the war," Guterres said during a UN conference on May 18.

"Russia must permit the safe and secure export of grain stored in Ukrainian ports. Alternative transportation routes can be explored -- even if we know that by itself, they will not be enough to solve the problem. Russian food and fertilizers must have unrestricted access to world markets without indirect impediments," he added.