“During the call, [the two foreign ministers] discussed the latest developments as part of the Istanbul grain deal and the purchase of large-size planes from Russia to manage wildland fires,” a Turkish diplomat told a TASS reporter.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative was suspended on Monday. Russia, which had repeatedly extended the pact, an agreement initially concluded last July to ensure the passage of vessels carrying Ukrainian grain through corridors in the Black Sea, lamented that provisions of the deal allowing for unhindered exports of Russian agricultural products had never been implemented.
Moscow argued that, although the agreement was designed to send foodstuffs to the poorest countries, the bulk of Ukrainian grain had landed in the West’s developed countries. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia could resume its participation in the deal when the provisions regarding Moscow are implemented.
SKH/PR