Türkiye, Russia present new recommendations to save Black Sea Grain Agreement

Russia and Ukraine are 2 of the world’s top agricultural producers and major players in the markets for wheat

ANKARA, Türkiye – Russia and Türkiye have presented a new package of recommendations to revive the Black Sea Grain Agreement.

Türkiye will discuss these recommendations with U.S., U.N., and European Union leaders in the coming days to look at the possibility of reviving the agreement, which is critical to global food supplies.

The understanding was reached during a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Sochi.

Putin said the grain agreement will not be reinstated in its current form. He said the West had failed to honor certain obligations under the agreement, brokered by the U.N. and Türkiye last year. 

Putin hinted at a possible return to the agreement if the West honors its commitments.

Russia had reneged on the agreement in July – a year after it was brokered – complaining that its own food and fertilizer exports were being hampered and that not enough Ukrainian grain was being supplied to countries in need.

Putin said Russia would provide grain free of charge to six African countries. 

The Russian leader added that his country would provide 1 million tons (1.1 million metric tons) of cheap grain to Türkiye for processing and delivery to poor countries. Qatar will bear its processing cost. 

Russia and Ukraine are two of the world’s top agricultural producers and major players in the markets for wheat, barley, corn, rapeseed, rapeseed oil, sunflower seeds, and sunflower oil.

Erdogan was on a one-day working visit to Russia’s coastal city of Sochi to discuss with Putin current regional and global issues, as well as bilateral ties. 

On a joint proposal for grain shipments prepared with the UN, Erdogan said: “I believe that Türkiye will reach a solution that will meet expectations within a short time.”

Ukraine needs to soften its approach to take joint steps with Russia amid the ongoing war, Erdogan stressed, adding: “We have previously hosted direct negotiations between the parties. We are ready to do our part, as always, in this regard.”

The discussion also touched Türkiye’s first nuclear power plant, Akkuyu, which is currently under construction and is a joint venture between Türkiye and Russia.