Black Sea Grain Initiative

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that Russia is giving serious consideration to Türkiye's proposal for organizing peace talks with Ukraine and reviving the grain export agreement.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has pledged to work towards reviving a key grain deal amid the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

His remarks came during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at New York's Turkish House, a skyscraper located across from the U.N. building, on the sidelines of a General Assembly session on Sept. 25.

On September 12, a Russian missile struck a cargo ship carrying Ukrainian wheat destined for Egypt in the Black Sea, as reported by President Volodymyr Zelensky. The attack highlights the ongoing risks faced by Ukrainian ships traveling along a newly established export route in the Black Sea, which was set up after Russia unilaterally terminated the Black Sea grain deal.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said he made a new proposal to Russian President Vladimir Putin for shipping the Russian grain to Africa and other parts of the world through Türkiye during their meeting in Astana.

Moscow and Kyiv have been negotiating with Turkey for months on an agreement to ensure maritime security in the Black Sea, according to sources

Turkey is expected to emphasise its continued strong support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Istanbul on Friday, a Turkish diplomatic source said.

Türkiye is ready to host a peace summit between Russia and Ukraine, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Friday after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul.

NATO member Türkiye has been positioning itself as a potential mediator between Moscow and Kiev since Russia launched its invasion more than two years ago.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has affirmed Türkiye's commitment to pursuing diplomatic avenues to resolve the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, calling for dialogue between the two parties.

"Türkiye is ready to act as a facilitator and host peace talks in order to achieve peace in Ukraine," President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky.

Erdoğan spoke over the phone with Zelensky, the Communications Directorate announced late on Jan 5.

Ukraine has exported about 13 million tons of merchandise on some 400 ships since setting up a protected maritime corridor in August to fend off Russian threats, a government minister said on Dec. 30.

While Ukraine had few military achievements on land in 2023, on the Black Sea it has pushed Russia's much larger navy away from its coasts, allowing the resumption of grain exports.