By Janet Ekstract
ISTANBUL-On Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met in Kyiv to discuss resuming the Black Sea grain deal and a peace formula put forth by Zelensky, last year. As Zelensky stated on Telegram: “Many important issues were discussed. (Ukraine’s) Peace Formula. Preparations for the Global Peace Summit (planned by Ukraine). Risks posed by the Russian blockade of the Black Sea grain corridor.” Fidan also met with top Ukrainian officials and his visit is crucial since it follows the BRICS summit and comes before the G-20 summit and the U.N. Security Council meeting in September in New York City. Prior to his Ukraine trip, Fidan met foreign ministers of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
Turkiye’s primary focus is to get Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table on a peace deal. The Turkish government is also banking on Putin resuming the grain deal. On Friday, Russia’s state news agency RIA confirmed that Fidan will be visiting Russia soon. The visit’s focus is expected to be on the grain deal and sets the stage for Putin’s meeting with Erdogan at the end of August. The grain deal is crucial in avoiding a global food crisis and in keeping global grain prices stable. Putin’s accusations that Russia’s half of the deal is not being implemented, bear no merit, according to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Both Blinken and Guterres explained in July that all commitments concerning Russia were fulfilled with Blinken commenting that major accommodation was given to Russia to sell its grain and fertilizer.
Meanwhile, regarding the Turkish president’s meeting with Putin, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: “We usually synchronize announcements of such visits with our partner countries. We will announce shortly, when and where it will take place. The meeting is being prepared and is being prepared very thoroughly.” In a phone call on August 2, Putin told Erdogan that he is ready to return to the grain deal but only when the West fulfills its obligations on Russia’s grain exports. Though Putin insists otherwise, Russian grain and fertilizer exports are not under Western sanctions. Blinken and Guterres have commented that Russia’s claims of restrictions on payments, logistics and insurance being a barrier to shipments is false. The deal, initiated by Turkiye and brokered by the U.N. in July 2022 has been instrumental in getting foodstuff from Ukraine and Russia, the world’s largest suppliers of grain, to nations that are in dire need. The grain was leaving from Black Sea ports in Ukraine until Russia left the deal on July 17. Erdogan and Putin who maintain good relations, are expected to reach a deal that would be amenable to both sides.
