World
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C) and state officials visit Anitkabir, mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, to mark 99th Republic Day of Turkey, in Ankara on October 29, 2022. Photo: AFP
ISTANBUL, Turkey - Turkey's president Tuesday told his Russian counterpart he was "confident" the issue of grain exports from Ukraine could be resolved, in a phone call after Moscow exited the landmark deal.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Vladimir Putin he was "confident" that a way out of the grain crisis could be found "based on a constructive approach", the Turkish presidency said.
He said resolving the issue could also encourage steps towards resuming negotiations for a truce between Russia and Ukraine, it said.
Moscow has said it has suspended its participation in a July deal to export grain from war-torn Ukraine for an indefinite time, after accusing Kyiv of a "massive" attack on its Black Sea Fleet in Crimea on Saturday.
Turkey, one of the brokers of that agreement alongside the United Nations, has stepped up diplomatic efforts to salvage the deal signed by warring nations Russia and Ukraine.
The agreement, set to be renewed on November 19, aimed at reducing the global food crisis stoked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in late February and had already allowed more than 9.7 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain to be exported.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who announced Erdogan was due to speak with Putin earlier in the day, said: "We believe we will overcome this... (The grain deal) benefits everyone."
Erdogan said on Monday Turkey would pursue efforts to keep the agreement in force despite Russia's hesitation.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Vladimir Putin he was "confident" that a way out of the grain crisis could be found "based on a constructive approach", the Turkish presidency said.
He said resolving the issue could also encourage steps towards resuming negotiations for a truce between Russia and Ukraine, it said.
Moscow has said it has suspended its participation in a July deal to export grain from war-torn Ukraine for an indefinite time, after accusing Kyiv of a "massive" attack on its Black Sea Fleet in Crimea on Saturday.
Turkey, one of the brokers of that agreement alongside the United Nations, has stepped up diplomatic efforts to salvage the deal signed by warring nations Russia and Ukraine.
The agreement, set to be renewed on November 19, aimed at reducing the global food crisis stoked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in late February and had already allowed more than 9.7 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain to be exported.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who announced Erdogan was due to speak with Putin earlier in the day, said: "We believe we will overcome this... (The grain deal) benefits everyone."
Erdogan said on Monday Turkey would pursue efforts to keep the agreement in force despite Russia's hesitation.
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