Putin Holds Talks with Erdogan... Focus on Return to Grain Agreement

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an will hold a summit in Sochi, Russia, on the 4th (local time). The media is focusing on whether the Black Sea Grain Initiative will be resumed through this meeting.

According to Russia's RIA Novosti news agency, the summit will begin at 1 p.m. Moscow time. This will be the first meeting in one month since last August, and the two leaders are expected to discuss the Black Sea Grain Initiative primarily.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Black Sea Grain Initiative is an agreement, mediated by the United Nations and Turkey on July 22 last year, that allows Ukraine, the world's largest grain exporter, to export grain through Black Sea ports even amid Russia's special military operation.

However, Russia expressed dissatisfaction that provisions related to its own grain and fertilizer exports were not being implemented and declared the termination of the agreement on July 17.

Russia's TASS news agency quoted Turkish political sources on the day, saying, "The Sochi summit will mainly focus on the feasibility of implementing the existing agreement," and "The two leaders will deeply consider a new proposal drafted by the UN with Turkey's participation."

Earlier, UN Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres delivered a letter containing a new proposal to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to resume the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

Although Secretary-General Guterres did not disclose the contents of the letter, foreign media have reported that the UN proposed measures to partially lift Western sanctions imposed on Russia.

In addition, the two are likely to continue discussions on Russian natural gas supply. This concerns plans to establish a natural gas hub in Turkey for supplies from Russia to Europe.

President Putin announced in October last year a plan to build such a facility on Turkish territory as an alternative to Nord Stream, where an explosion occurred.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.