Turkey's Erdogan dials Russia's Putin; discusses setting up 'grain corridors' in Black Sea

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone about the crisis in Ukraine as well as issues surrounding the creation of a 'grain corridor' to export grain by sea, Erdogan's office said on July 11. According to the statement, the Turkish president emphasised implementing the UN plan for the establishment of corridors to export grain.

"President Erdogan had a telephone call with Russian President Putin. The two leaders discussed the situation in Syria, the situation in Ukraine in the light of Russia’s military operations, and the establishment of safe corridors for exporting grain by the Black Sea," the statement read.

Erdogan reiterated his call for a peaceful "lasting and fair" resolution to the Ukrainian crisis at the negotiating table. He stated that Turkey is prepared to continue its efforts to support the revitalization of the talks between Russia and Ukraine.

The creation of a "grain corridor" was a topic that the foreign ministers of Russia and Turkey, Sergey Lavrov and Mevlut Cavusoglu, discussed on June 8 in Ankara.

Putin had said earlier that if Kyiv demined its ports and ensured export via ports under Russia's control, like Berdyansk and Mariupol, Moscow would guarantee the unhindered passage of ships carrying Ukrainian grain. The establishment of a secure route for the export of Ukrainian grain was the topic of discussions between Turkish and Russian military delegations on June 21 in Moscow.

They were deemed constructive and positive by Turkey's foreign and defence ministries, and they would continue. Erdogan declared that Ankara is prepared to reexport agricultural goods across the Black Sea following the NATO summit in Madrid. Erdogan claims that about 20 Turkish ships are anchored in Ukrainian ports and are prepared to transport grain.

Turkey, Ukraine discuss grain corridor

On July 7, Mevlut Cavusoglu and Dmytro Kuleba, the foreign ministers of Turkey and Ukraine, spoke about the ongoing efforts to establish a food corridor through the Black Sea in response to Ukraine's request that Turkey detain a Russian ship that is allegedly carrying its grain. The ministers discussed efforts to allow Ukraine to start exporting its millions of tonnes of grain and other goods to international markets as well as the most recent developments in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In order to make it possible under a UN plan, Turkey has been in talks with both Russia and Ukraine. Failure to establish a safe route for Ukrainian wheat to travel through the Black Sea could result in a severe global food crisis, especially in the continent's less developed regions.

(Image: AP)