Turkey announced that Russia has received assurances from the United States on the export of Russian agricultural products to world markets and called on the United States to make this official. However, it said it had not received a clear answer from Moscow on the extension of the Grain Corridor Agreement signed in Istanbul on July 22.
Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin said that during the talks with their US counterparts they received assurances on the export of Russian grain to world markets. Stating that no sanctions were imposed on the export of Russian grain, Kalın said he told his US counterparts to convey this to solve the problem. Speaking to a TV channel yesterday, Kalın said that Turkey had not received a clear answer from Moscow on the extension of the Grain Corridor Agreement, which allows Turkey to ship grain from Ukraine. Pointing out that Turkey and the United Nations (UN) are continuing their contacts with Russia on this issue, the presidential spokesperson emphasized that it would be ideal to extend the agreement for another 6 months or a year.
Two interrelated agreements signed by Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the UN in Istanbul on July 22, on opening a secure corridor across the Black Sea to the world and securing grain shipments from Ukraine, were meant to lift restrictions on exports of agricultural products and fertilizers from Russia to world markets after Russia began its military invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Russia said the agreement on grain exports was not working, while Turkey said Ukraine had no problem extending the Grain Corridor Agreement. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan discussed the extension of the Grain Corridor Agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Heads of State Meeting in Astana last week. During the meeting, President Erdoğan emphasized that Turkey believes that the grain transport corridor should be kept open for the next four months in order to secure food supply chains and ensure food security and world peace. Underlining his country’s determination to maintain and consolidate the agreement signed in Istanbul and to ship Russian grain and fertilizer exports to underdeveloped countries through Turkey, President Erdogan said that the steps Turkey and Russia will take on the grain corridor at this stage will upset “certain circles” without naming them, but will please underdeveloped countries.
Putin, on the other hand, said that poor countries still receive a small amount of grain and that the countries that receive grain from Ukraine under the agreement in Istanbul should be grateful to Erdogan.
Turkey announced on Monday that only 5.6 percent of Ukrainian grain was sent to poor or underdeveloped countries under the grain corridor agreement in Istanbul, while 63 percent went to European countries, 24 percent to Asia and 13 percent to Africa. According to the statement, a total of 7.7 million tons of grain has been transported by 345 ships departing from Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea since the agreement came into force in early August.
Presidential Spokesperson Kalın discussed the latest developments in the Ukraine war as well as other bilateral and international issues in a phone call with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Monday-Tuesday night. Turkish and US officials, who met in Istanbul two weeks ago, expressed their concern over the escalation of conflict and violence in Ukraine and emphasized the importance of all diplomatic efforts to mitigate the damage caused by the war to global peace, stability, economy, energy and food security.
Kalın emphasized that Turkey is determined to continue its initiatives for a solution, including the extension of the Grain Shipment Agreement signed in Istanbul. “Our joint efforts with our NATO allies remain focused on ending Russia’s brutal and unforgivable war in Ukraine,” US Ambassador to Ankara Jeffry Flake said in a statement. Ambassador Flake noted that Turkey continues to provide support, particularly by advancing food security and encouraging dialogue between Ukraine and Russia. In a statement on the embassy’s Twitter account yesterday, the US Ambassador said, “I have been asked recently if there has been a change in the US position on security in the Aegean, and the answer is no. Our security cooperation with our NATO allies Turkey and Greece is not based on taking sides or tipping the balance in favor of either partner.”
Ambassador Flake continued his statement as follows:
“Right now, our joint efforts are focused on ending Russia’s brutal and unjust war in Ukraine. Our defense cooperation with Greece strengthens NATO’s eastern flank, supporting Ukraine and our NATO allies in Central and Eastern Europe. The primary goal we share with our NATO Allies Turkey and Greece is to ensure peace, security and stability throughout the region.”
Turkey recently accused the United States of supporting Greece in arming non-military islands in the Aegean Sea and upsetting the balance in Cyprus by lifting the arms embargo imposed on Cyprus since 1978.
