Kuleba: Russia's demands for relaunching grain deal are 'blackmail'

The Black Sea Grain Initiative "must be restored," but not at the expense of accepting blackmail, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told journalists on Sept. 4.

He was responding to Russian President Vladimir Putin's claims earlier today that Russia won't resume the Black Sea Grain Initiative without the West lifting sanctions relating to Russian grain and fertilizers.

Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spent the day discussing the potential restoration of the Black Sea Grain Initiative in Sochi.

Erdogan told the press that he hopes a solution will be reached soon and that "Ukraine needs to soften its approach in order to take joint steps with Russia."

Kuleba argued that Putin cannot be trusted. "If we make concessions now," Russia will come back "a month later and put forward new terms," Kuleba said.

He emphasized that there were "no legal or political grounds for the Russians to withdraw from the agreement."

Russia demands concessions to relaunch grain deal

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia won’t resume the Black Sea Grain Initiative without the West decreasing sanctions. Russia will only rejoin the initiative once sanctions related to Russian grain and fertilizers for European markets would be lifted, Putin said.

The Kyiv IndependentElsa Court

However, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister underlined there are "trusted relations" between Ukraine and Turkey.

He pointed out that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was recently in Kyiv, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss Russia's blockade of the Black Sea grain corridor.

He said he expects Erdogan will be in contact with Zelensky to discuss the details of his negotiations with Putin.

Moscow withdrew from the Black Sea grain deal on July 17, causing spikes in wheat prices and fears about food security worldwide.

The agreement previously allowed Ukraine to export its grain through its Black Sea ports amid the ongoing Russian full-scale invasion.

Turkey, positioning itself as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia, played an important role in brokering the grain deal in July 2022. Since the agreement's collapse, Ankara has been in contact with both Kyiv and Moscow, discussing the options for its restoration.