Erdoğan, Putin hold phone call to discuss grain deal

MOSCOW

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, engaged in a phone conversation on Aug. 2 to discuss the extension of a crucial grain deal that had facilitated the export of 33 million tons of grain to world markets.

The agreement, which had been brokered by Türkiye and the United Nations, encountered a setback when Russia decided to withdraw from it on July 17, alleging unfulfilled obligations by its counterparts in Moscow.

Both the United Nations and Türkiye have been actively working to revive the grain deal, recognizing its importance in addressing food security concerns and ensuring stable grain prices in the global market.

During the phone call, Erdoğan told Putin that the long-term inactivation of the grain deal "will not benefit anyone" and that the countries in need would suffer the most.

Erdoğan further highlighted the impact of the agreement's suspension on grain prices, stating that they had increased by 15 percent in the past two weeks, after witnessing a 23 percent decrease when the deal was in force. He vowed Türkiye would press ahead with "intensive efforts" and diplomacy to reestablish the agreement.

The two leaders also agreed on Putin's visit to Türkiye, but no timetable was given.

The Turkish president said that "no steps should be taken that will escalate tensions in the Russia-Ukraine war," emphasizing the significance of a grain deal that he called a "bridge for peace."