The Black Sea grain shipment deal may be extended if Russia positively responds to the proposals by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on its prolongation laid out in his letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, with other options hardly probable, a diplomatic source in Turkey told TASS on Saturday.
"The prolongation is possible but, considering the statements by the authorities of Russia that its part of the Istanbul accords was not fulfilled throughout the year, this may take place if Guterres’ proposals are deemed acceptable," the source said.
The Turkish side represented by the Defense and Foreign Ministries is carrying out active work aimed at extending the grain deal, the source said.
"Now a talk between both presidents [Russian and Turkish Presidents Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan] should certainly be expected, following which the situation will be clarified," he said.
Spokesperson for Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party Omer Celik said on July 13 that Erdogan intended to hold a phone talk with Putin before the expiry of the grain deal.
The Black Sea grain initiative expires on July 17. Russian President Putin stated on July 13 that the grain deal was "a one-sided game" and nothing had been done to implement the Russian part of the Istanbul accords. Putin confirmed that Russia might suspend its participation in the grain deal. He said that Russia might rejoin the grain deal after the pledges given to Moscow were fulfilled.
The agreements on Ukraine’s food exports were concluded in Istanbul on July 22, 2022 for a term of 120 days and were prolonged several times.
One agreement regulates the procedure of exporting grain from the Kiev-held Black Sea ports of Odessa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny. The other agreement stipulates providing access for Russian agricultural produce and mineral fertilizer to the world markets. The Russian authorities have repeatedly said that some points of the deal have not been fulfilled, including the accords on the priority shipments of grain to the poorest countries. They have also highlighted obstacles being created for Russian mineral fertilizer and food shipments to the world markets.
