President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President of Russia Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation, according to the information released by the Directorate of Communications.
During the call, the two leaders agreed on Putin's visit to Türkiye. President Erdoğan expressed gratitude for the two amphibious firefighting aircraft sent by Russia to aid Türkiye's efforts in fighting forest fires.
Erdoğan also expressed satisfaction with the growing interest of Russian tourists in Türkiye and anticipated a record-breaking tourism season this year with joint efforts.
Erdoğan emphasized the importance of avoiding actions that could escalate tensions during the Russia-Ukraine war and highlighted the significance of the Black Sea Initiative as a "bridge of peace."
Turkish leader pointed out that a prolonged shutdown of the initiative would have adverse effects, particularly for countries in need of grain and with lower income, as grain prices had decreased by 23 percent during the implementation period but increased by 15 percent in the last two weeks.
Erdoğan assured that Ankara will continue to conduct intensive efforts and diplomacy to uphold the continuity of the Black Sea Initiative.
Erdoğan said that the long-term suspension of the Black Sea Initiative will not benefit anyone, adding that the low-income countries in need of grain will suffer the most.
He emphasized that grain prices, which decreased by 23% during the deal implementation period, have increased by 15% in the last two weeks, the statement said.
Putin told his Turkish counterpart Erdoğan on Wednesday that Moscow was ready to return to the Black Sea grain deal as soon as the West met its obligations with regards to Russia's own grain exports.
In a phone call with Erdoğan, Putin listed Russia's reasons for exiting the deal last month, the Kremlin said in a statement. The deal allowed for the safe export of Ukrainian grain from its Black Sea ports.
Moscow says the West has done nothing to facilitate the export of Russian grains and fertilisers, as also envisaged in the deal brokered by the United Nations and Türkiye in July 2022.
On July 17, Russia suspended its participation in the deal, which it signed last July along with Türkiye, the UN, and Ukraine to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports paused after the Russia-Ukraine war began in February. But even when renewing the deal in previous months, Moscow has complained that the Russian part of the agreement was not being implemented
