Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was confident of a quick resumption of the grain deal. On Monday, he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who collapsed the deal in July.
Erdogan said after his meeting with Putin: “We, as Turkey, believe that a solution that meets expectations will soon be reached.”
Putin halted the grain deal because he disagreed with Western sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The Russian president has repeatedly stated in recent months that he will not return to the grain deal if the West does not meet its conditions.
Russia complains of restrictions imposed on the export of Russian goods such as fertilizers. Putin has been saying for weeks that he considers the resumption of the grain deal possible only after all restrictions on the export of Russian goods are lifted.
Western sanctions imposed on Russia do not include the export of these products, but according to Putin, the West is “cheating.” For example, Russia is no longer linked to the international payment system SWIFT as punishment for the invasion of Ukraine. This would hinder trade.
The grain deal allowed Ukraine to safely export its grain crops by ship across the Black Sea. A stable supply of grains would prevent grain prices from rising around the world. This increase would pose special problems for poor countries.
