Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Moscow yesterday for an extensive discussion of many matters between Russia and Türkiye. Of note, President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to receive President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in three days, on Sept. 4.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative was central on their agenda, including a new proposal from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, but they also discussed the full range of Russian-Turkish relations. On the UN proposal, Fidan said at their following joint press conference: “We think this is the appropriate ground for the revival” of the July 2022 Black Sea Grain Initiative. He vowed that Türkiye’s efforts to revive the Black Sea grain deal will continue, adding: “This agreement is extremely important both for world’s food security, and the stability and peace in the Black Sea.”
Earlier, Guterres had told reporters in New York about his initiative: “The proposal is relating to the need … to re-establish the Black Sea Initiative. And at the same time, we have some concrete solutions for the concerns allowing for a more effective access of Russian food and fertilizers to global markets at adequate prices.”
Lavrov acknowledged that the United Nations and Türkiye were making intense efforts to revive the deal, but that these efforts failed to bring any of the guarantees sought by Moscow. Apparently, Moscow has heard approaches about “more effective access” and found such to be wanting. Lavrov said: “They say they will be faster, they will be more active. … But there is no single assurance in the messages conveyed to us. We can implement the deal tomorrow if assurances come, but without assurances there can be no progress.”
Lavrov also pressed for an alternative offer that Moscow had unveiled earlier this week, envisaging a trilateral mechanism among Ankara, Doha and Moscow. Russia offered to send 1 million tons of grain to Türkiye to be processed and shipped to African countries that are in a food security crisis, and Qatar would provide financial support for the effort.
“Today, we held intensive consultations on both bilateral and regional issues. The revival of the Black Sea initiative was high on our agenda,” Fidan said, reported Anadolu, highlighting the sense of trust between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which he said played a crucial role in determining the direction of bilateral ties. Fidan evidently heard Lavrov and pointed to Moscow’s demands for the uninterrupted export of Russian grain and fertilizer. He noted that the need to meet them was reaffirmed.
