ISTANBUL: Turkey’s President, Tayyip Erdogan, expressed his urgency on Saturday to persuade Russia to extend the Black Sea grain agreement for a minimum of three additional months, unveiling President Vladimir Putin’s scheduled visit in August.
The statement was made during a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, following their meeting to address the future of an intricate arrangement facilitated by Turkey and the United Nations last year. This agreement aimed to ensure the secure exportation of grain from Ukrainian ports via the Black Sea amidst the ongoing conflict.
Zelensky’s visit to Turkey came after his visits to Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, as part of a diplomatic tour across various NATO capitals, with the objective of encouraging concrete actions toward granting Kyiv membership in the alliance—an aspiration Erdogan firmly believed Ukraine deserved, according to Arab News.
During the press conference, Erdogan emphasized the ongoing efforts to extend the Black Sea grain agreement beyond its initial expiration date of July 17, seeking to secure longer-term extensions. This issue was underscored as one of the paramount topics on the agenda for his forthcoming meeting with Putin in Turkey the following month. “Our hope is that it will be extended every three months, rather than every two months. We will strive towards this objective and endeavour to extend the duration to two years,” declared Erdogan alongside Zelensky.
Both leaders also delved into the pressing matter of prisoner exchanges, which Zelensky stated had been their top priority. President Erdogan expressed his optimism for a swift resolution, while Zelensky opted to await the outcome before providing further comments. Nonetheless, it was evident that their discussion had delved into the intricacies of repatriating all detainees, including children who had been deported to Russia, along with other affected groups.
