Turkish-Ukrainian military officials discuss food corridor in Black Sea

ANKARA

Turkish and Ukrainian military officials had a meeting in Ankara on July 4 to discuss the shipment of grain exports from Ukraine, the daily Hürriyet reported.

The officials exchanged views on bilateral and regional defense and security issues at the meeting held at the Defense Ministry.

The opening of a “grain corridor” in the Black Sea, the evacuation of two A-400 M type heavy transport aircraft of the Turkish Air Force waiting in Kiev, and claims that Russia attempts to transport the grain allegedly usurped from Ukraine to the world markets via Türkiye were on the agenda, the daily reported.

Turkish and Russian military delegations met in Moscow last month as part of the efforts carried out for the exit of grain-laden ships from Ukraine.

Türkiye, Russia, Ukraine and the U.N. have been in talks about making a food corridor from Ukraine to the world markets. Following the Turkish-Russian talks, a Turkish commercial vessel departed from the Mariupol port of Ukraine, which is now under Russian occupation.

Elaborating on the allegations regarding stolen grains from Ukraine, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu earlier said Türkiye investigated these claims and found out that all mentioned products that allegedly arrived in Türkiye were products labeled by Russia.

Türkiye’s two military cargo aircraft were stranded in Kiev on the day the war erupted between Russia and Ukraine. Ankara has been discussing the safe return of the aircraft with both Russian and Ukrainian officials.