Turkey poised to be a venue for Putin-Zelenskyy talks: Erdogan tells Russian President

As the brutal war between Russia and Ukraine shows no signs of subsiding, the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he can organise a meeting between his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts. During a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on August 5 in the Russian city of Sochi, the Turkish President stated: "It is crucial now to fully implement the grain export plan and substantiate this with practical steps to return to the Istanbul talks," reported TRT television channel on Saturday.

Quoting Erdogan's remarks to the presidential pool journalists after his return, TRT reported, “I have been reiterating since the very start of the conflict that the Ukraine war cannot have any winners. Despite some problems ‘on the ground,’ I am strongly convinced that the crisis can be resolved at the negotiating table. I reminded distinguished Mr. Putin that we are poised to be a venue for his talks with (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky.” 

Erdogan further said that Turkey will continue to communicate with Russia, their neighbour across the Black Sea, in order to promote peace in the area and the world, Tass reported.  

Ukraine and Russia signed grain export agreements

It is pertinent to note that a package of agreements was signed on July 22 in Istanbul to address the issue of supplying food and fertiliser to international markets. With the United Nations and Turkey, Ukraine and Russia each signed their own grain export agreements, clearing the path for the transport of millions of tons of vitally needed Ukrainian grain. 

The agreement, according to media reports, would allow Ukraine to restart grain shipments from the Black Sea to foreign markets. The event took place in the presence of Oleksandr Kubrakov, the minister of infrastructure for Ukraine, and Sergey Shoigu, the minister of defence for Russia. Along with them, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and Defense Minister Hulusi Akar were there. 

In addition to this, Mevlut Cavusoglu, the foreign minister of Turkey, said on Thursday, August 4, that the Black Sea Grain Initiative grain export agreement between the two warring countries might result in a "comprehensive cease-fire" on both sides, as per media reports. However, after signing a highly "sustainable" 120-day grain agreement with Russia, Ankara's minister claimed that tensions between the two nations are at an all-time high as the invading Russian military has been pushing further into Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

Meanwhile, in the month of March, during a telephonic conversation with his President Putin, Erdogan offered to welcome both him and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy for negotiations over the continuing Moscow-Kyiv battle. Erdogan reportedly warned the Kremlin leader in the statement that a meeting between the two leaders is required to reach a consensus on a number of subjects, according to a CNBC report. He even emphasised that a long-lasting truce may pave the path for a durable resolution.

(Image: AP)