During talks with Putin, Erdogan raises issue of continued grain exports

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan touched on the issue during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrinform reports with reference to the Communications Directorate of the Turkish President's Administration.

"We are determined to strengthen and extend the Istanbul Agreement in this regard, and to transport Russian grain and fertilizers to developing nations, as you said, through Türkiye. We carry out this transportation to developing countries through us. We can even work together to define these countries," Erdogan said at the meeting.

The development of transportation, bilateral trade, as well as the Akkuyu NPP construction, and other issues, were also on the agenda.

As indicated in the press release, at the meeting of the two presidents, Putin reiterated Russia’s readiness to set up a gas distribution and pricing hub in Türkiye for further deliveries to European countries.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Ukrainian Ambassador to Türkiye Vasyl Bodnar said at an online briefing on Thursday that the President of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is well aware of Ukraine's position regarding the negotiations with Russia: no negotiations on ending the war are possible without our participation, the condition for their restoration must include the withdrawal of Russian troops from the entire Ukrainian territory, and until then no one will talk to Putin.