Erdogan and Putin have not met for almost a year. Now the two heads of state met in Sochi, Russia. Above all, the Turkish President wants to renegotiate the expired grain agreement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan met in Sochi for talks. Erdogan will be accompanied by a large delegation including Turkey’s defense, foreign, energy and finance ministers, Turkey’s state news agency Anadolu reported.
Above all, Erdogan wants to talk to Putin about reviving the grain agreement brokered by Turkey and the United Nations. “Everyone is looking at the issue of the grain corridor,” Erdogan said at the beginning of the meeting. “The message we will deliver to the world after our meeting will be a significant step, especially for less developed African countries.”
Putin: “Are open to negotiations”
Putin stated that issues related to the Ukraine crisis would be discussed between them. “I know that you intend to ask questions about the grain trade. We are open to negotiations on this issue,” he told Erdogan. According to the AP news agency, Putin also spoke about other areas of bilateral cooperation, such as a planned Russian gas hub in Turkey and the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Turkey, in which Moscow is involved.
The first half of the talks between the two leaders was constructive, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a video posted to Telegram by a journalist working for a state media outlet. According to Peskow, after the end of the conversation, it is not to be expected that documents will be signed.
First meeting since October 2022
The grain deal had enabled Ukraine to export agricultural goods across the Black Sea. It expired in mid-July and Russia opposed an extension. Among other things, the Kremlin complained that it was not benefiting from the agreement. Moscow has previously set conditions for a resumption.
Last year, Erdogan traveled to Russia four times in four months alone. The two heads of state had not seen each other in person since October. The Turkish-Russian relationship has been tense recently.
With information from Christian Buttkereit, SWR