Media: Erdoğan discusses grain deal in call with Putin

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke about the Black Sea Grain Initiative with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin during a call on April 27, Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah reported.

According to Daily Sabah, the main purpose of the call was to discuss the inauguration of the the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, a joint Turkish-Russian project.

Regarding the grain deal, Erdoğan told Putin that "new initiatives can be implemented through the proposed working group."

The UN and Turkey-brokered deal, first signed in July 2022, has been paramount in subduing soaring food prices worldwide. Ukraine is one of the world's top grain suppliers and Russia's all-out war prevented it from exporting agricultural products from its ports.

The deal was extended for another 120 days on March 18, after weeks of Russia threatening to back out of it if certain terms were not met.

Agriculture Minister Mykola Solskyi told the Kyiv Independent on Feb. 27 that it was vital not only to extend the grain deal but to increase the number of daily exports and ensure the addition of other ports in the deal.

Ukraine’s grain overload sours country’s relationship with key allies

Negotiations over a European import ban on Ukrainian grain between the European Commission and its eastern flank members were stalled as of April 23. Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria asked to extend protection measures after the EU’s one-year decision to abolish customs duties, whil…

Kyiv IndependentAlexander Query