Türkiye working for Russia's return to grain deal negotiations

ISTANBUL

Ankara is diligently working to maintain the grain corridor to avert a potential global food crisis, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has emphasized, making an appeal for Russia to rejoin the discussions.

"We, as Türkiye, frankly believe Russia should be brought back to the table. Other solutions are likely to be forced solutions that will jeopardize security," Fidan stated during a joint press conference with his Venezuelan counterpart, Yvan Gil, on July 21, highlighting the significance of finding a mutually agreeable resolution.

The grain deal, which facilitated the export of 33 million tons of grain to world markets, faced a setback when Russia withdrew from the agreement on July 17, citing unfulfilled obligations by Moscow's counterparts.

The United Nations and Türkiye have been actively seeking to revive the agreement, with the Ukrainian side also exploring alternative options, Fidan informed.

During his meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Fidan discussed the reasons behind Russia's withdrawal from the grain deal and the possible avenues for reconciliation. "We are working on this so that Russia comes back to the table and its demands are met, and all parties come out of this as winners. I hope this crisis will be resolved as soon as possible," Fidan asserted. 

The Turkish top diplomat underscored the critical importance of the grain deal in maintaining global food security and preventing fluctuations in food prices that could adversely affect economies worldwide, emphasizing that the issue could exacerbate hunger in countries already facing nutritional challenges.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said his recent discussions with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg involved exploring ways to "unblock" the grain corridor. Ukraine had previously suggested continuing the process without Russia's involvement.

In addition, Fidan also discussed regional and global developments during his meeting with his Venezuelan counterpart, expressing Türkiye's opposition to unilateral sanctions and foreign interventions against Venezuela.

Türkiye reaffirmed its support for the dialogue process between the Venezuelan government and the opposition, reiterating its readiness to play a constructive role in resolving the issue, Fidan said.