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Grain Deal in Focus As Putin Hosts Erdoğan in Sochi
Turkish President Reccep Tayyip Erdogan has met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Sochi in the latest attempt to restart the Black Sea grain deal that Moscow quit back in July. First reached in 2022, the deal allowed the transport of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea corridor to global markets. The deal, brokered by Turkyie and the UN, helped alleviate a global food crisis. But with the war in Ukraine continuing with no end in sight, Russia is sticking to its position that certain conditions need to be met for the deal to be renewed.
Erdogan and Putin held their first face-to-face meeting since last October. Putin reiterated that the grain deal won't be resumed until the West meets his demands on Russia's agricultural exports. He argued how sanctions restricting payments and logistics have affected Russian shipments. Putin also said Moscow was close to finalizing an agreement with Turkiye and Qatar, to send free exports of Russian grain to six African countries. President Erdogan for his part expressed hope that a breakthrough could be achieved soon.
Guests:
Muhammet Kocak
Assistant Professor at Ankara Social Sciences University
Ben Aris
Former Daily Telegraph Moscow Bureau Chief
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