Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is set to travel to Sochi on Monday to meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, amid efforts to revive a grain export deal that helped ease a global food crisis.
The two leaders will discuss ways to resume the export of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports, which has been blocked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The deal, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in July, allowed nearly 33 million tonnes of grain and other commodities to leave three Ukrainian ports safely.
However, Russia pulled out of the deal in July, claiming that its conditions hadn’t been met. Turkey has been working to broker a new deal, and Erdoğan’s visit to Sochi is seen as a crucial step in those efforts.
In addition to the grain deal, Erdoğan and Putin are also expected to discuss other issues, including the Syrian conflict and the situation in Libya.
The meeting comes at a time when relations between Turkey and Russia are strained. Turkey has been critical of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and has provided military support to Ukraine. However, Turkey has also maintained its close economic ties with Russia, and has been reluctant to impose sanctions on Moscow.
The outcome of Erdoğan’s meeting with Putin is uncertain. However, the meeting is seen as an important opportunity to revive the grain deal and to address other issues of mutual concern.
Here are some other details about the meeting:
- The meeting will take place in Sochi, a resort city on the Black Sea coast of Russia.
- The meeting is expected to last for several hours.
- In addition to Erdoğan and Putin, the meeting will also be attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
- The meeting is being closely watched by the international community, as it is seen as a key test of Turkey’s ability to mediate between Russia and Ukraine.
The importance of the grain deal:
The grain deal is important for several reasons. First, it would help to alleviate the global food crisis that has been caused by the war in Ukraine. Ukraine is a major exporter of wheat, corn, and sunflower oil, and the war has disrupted those exports. The grain deal would help to get those exports flowing again, which would help to stabilize food prices and reduce hunger.
Second, the grain deal would be a major diplomatic victory for Turkey. Turkey has been trying to play a mediating role in the war in Ukraine, and the success of the grain deal would be a major boost to its efforts.
Third, the grain deal would be a sign of cooperation between Russia and Turkey. The two countries have had strained relations in recent years, but the grain deal would show that they are still willing to work together on important issues.
The outcome of Erdoğan’s meeting with Putin is uncertain, but the meeting is seen as an important opportunity to revive the grain deal and to address other issues of mutual concern.
