Erdogan spoke with Putin and Zelensky

Presidents of Turkey and Russia Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin today discussed the creation of “safe corridors” in the Black Sea for grain exports, as well as the latest developments in northern Syria, as reported by Russian news agencies and the Turkish Anadolu agency.

The call between the two leaders comes at a time when global food prices are rising as a war in Ukraine, the world’s biggest grain supplier, raises concerns about food security.

According to the Kremlin, the two leaders discussed coordinating efforts to export grain and secure navigation in the Black Sea. These talks, the statement of the Russian chairmanship added, took place on the eve of the Russian-Turkish summit, which will take place “in the near future.”

According to Anadolu, Erdogan told Putin it was time to take action based on the United Nations plan to create safe shipping lanes in the Black Sea for grain exports. He also reaffirmed that the war between Russia and Ukraine must end in a lasting and just negotiated peace, declaring his readiness to contribute to this process.

Erdogan also urged Putin to approve an expansion of a mechanism to allow the United Nations to deliver humanitarian aid from Syria through a border crossing in Turkey to areas not controlled by the Damascus regime. Russia vetoed Friday’s UN Security Council vote to extend the mechanism for a year, opposing a six-month-only continuation of the aid transfer, which the West rejects.

Zelensky and Erdogan discussed grain exports and blockade of Ukrainian ports

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said today that he had held talks with his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan on the need to lift the blockade of Ukrainian ports and resume grain exports.

“We appreciate the (Turkish) support. We discussed the importance of lifting the blockade of (Ukrainian) ports and continuing to export grain,” the President of Ukraine wrote in a Twitter post, also stressing that they must prevent the seizure of Ukrainian grain by Russian troops.

From the Turkish presidency it became known that Erdogan stressed that Ankara continues efforts under the UN plan to transport grain from Ukraine to the world market through “safe corridors” in the Black Sea. The Turkish President assured his Ukrainian counterpart that Ankara considers it possible to find a diplomatic solution to end the war, noting that it will make every effort in this direction.

Earlier today it became known that the Turkish President also spoke with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, with whom he discussed the creation of “safe corridors” in the Black Sea for grain exports, as well as recent developments in northern Syria.

Source link