Reuters. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Monday (July 17) said that he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin wants the continuation of the Black Sea grain deal as the agreement is set to expire.
Erdogan also added that he will discuss it when they meet in person in August.
The pact that has allowed the safe Black Sea export of grain from Ukraine for the past year will expire at the end of Monday after Russia said it will suspend its participation.
The deal, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last July, aimed to alleviate a global food crisis by allowing Ukrainian grain blocked by the Russia-Ukraine conflict to be exported safely.
“I am so sorry to say that today Russia has refused to prolong this deal and this is something very serious that will create a lot of troubles for many people around the world. We, from our side, will do everything we can through our solidarity lanes in order to make available the Ukrainian grain for the people who eat from it. And I have to blame Russia for this decision. Completely unjustified, weaponising, the hunger of the people", EU Foreign Policy Chief, Josep Borrell, said.
EU Council President, Charles Michel, speaking about the grain deal, said: “Let's be clear. This Black Sea grain deal, agreed to under the hospices of Antonio Guterres, is very important, especially for the most vulnerable countries, because this agreement, together with the European solidarity lanes is helping to make sure that the most vulnerable countries has access to the grains and to the fertilizers they need for the people, for the population. And it's why we fully support all the efforts of Antonio Guterres to make sure that the continuity of this agreement will be guaranteed".
