President Volodymyr Zelensky held a phone call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Oct. 21 to express his gratitude for Turkey's support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The two presidents discussed the next round of discussions on the peace formula proposed by Zelensky, which will take place in Malta at the end of October. Zelensky said Turkey will participate in the talks.
Zelensky presented the 10-point peace formula, supported by many Western allies, in November last year.
It includes the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity, the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, and the release of all prisoners of war and deportees.
The proposals also call for punishing those responsible for war crimes, preventing ecocide in Ukraine, and ensuring energy and food security as well as nuclear safety.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
According to Zelensky, he and Erdogan also discussed food security amid Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.
"Despite Russia's disruption of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Ukraine remains committed to its vital role as a guarantor of global food security and ensures the operation of the Black Sea Grain Corridor," Zelensky said.
The corridor was set up weeks after Russia's withdrawal from the grain deal.
The Russian military has blocked trade routes through the Black Sea since the collapse of the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July.
At the same time, Russia has targeted Ukraine's port and grain infrastructure with repeated attacks.
The UN repeatedly appealed to Moscow to unblock the shipments of Ukrainian foodstuffs to curb rising prices worldwide.
Despite the Russian-imposed blockade, all three of Ukraine's Black Sea ports in and around Odesa have resumed receiving cargo vessels for grain export earlier this month.
Russian forces may use sea mines to strike civilian shipping targets in the Black Sea, a United Kingdom intelligence report published Oct. 4 said.
According to U.K. intelligence, Russia intends to blame Ukraine for any successful attacks.
"Russia almost certainly wants to avoid openly sinking civilian ships, instead falsely laying blame on Ukraine for any attacks against civilian vessels in the Black Sea," the report said.
Russia's aggression in the Black Sea poses a major risk to global food security. According to the U.K. intelligence report, Russia has "already destroyed enough grain to feed more than one million people for a year."
Dinara Khalilova
