MOSCOW: As the two leaders meet later today (Monday) in Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will try to persuade Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin to resume a grain export agreement with Ukraine that assisted in easing a worldwide food crisis.
Russia pulled out of the agreement in July, one year after it was negotiated by the UN and Turkey, citing difficulties with its own exports of food and fertiliser as well as a lack of Ukrainian grain reaching developing nations.
The talks with Erdogan, who previously played a crucial role in persuading Putin to continue with the agreement, will take place in the middle of the day, Moscow time, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
According to Akif Cagatay Kilic, Erdogan’s principal security and foreign policy adviser, “We play a leading role here,” in a televised interview with A Haber.
“The gathering on Monday will cover the present state of the grain deal. Although we are cautious, Kilic continued, “we hope to succeed.
