Erdogan announces new talks with Zelensky, Putin

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he would hold negotiations with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin about the “grain corridor” on Dec. 11, according to Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu. Erdogan also plans to talk with President Volodymyr Zelensky, but he didn’t specify the date of the conversation.

According to him, Turkey firmly supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine, though it “opposes the incitement of contradictions in the region through the 'inconceivable policy' against Russia.”

The “grain corridor” is the U.N.-backed agreement concluded in July to unblock Ukrainian grain exports amid Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country.

Turkey has negotiated with the Kremlin on resuming grain shipments from Ukrainian ports since Russia exited the deal on Oct. 29. In several days, Russia suddenly reversed its stance and resumed its participation in the grain export deal.

Erdogan said on Nov. 10 that he would maintain telephone diplomacy with Putin as Turkey’s “mediation work (between Moscow and Kyiv) continues uninterruptedly.”