Russia won’t renew grain until West meets its demands, Putin tells Erdogan | Russia-Ukraine war News

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated his stance on reinstating a United Nations-brokered deal to soundly ship Ukrainian grain throughout the Black Sea solely after the West meets Moscow’s calls for on its agricultural exports.

The Russian president’s remarks on Monday got here after a gathering together with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan within the Black Sea metropolis of Sochi within the hope of reviving the settlement seen as important for world meals provides, particularly in Africa, the Center East and Asia.

Russia refused to extend the deal in July, complaining {that a} parallel settlement promising to take away obstacles to Russian exports of meals and fertiliser had not been honoured. It stated restrictions on transport and insurance coverage hampered its agricultural commerce, although it has shipped file quantities of wheat since final yr.

Putin reiterated these complaints and stated that the Black Sea corridors shouldn’t be used for navy functions. He instructed reporters that if these commitments had been honoured, Russia may return to the deal “inside days”.

Erdogan additionally expressed hope {that a} breakthrough may come quickly. He stated Turkey and the UN – which each brokered the unique deal – have put collectively a brand new package deal of proposals to unblock the difficulty.

“We imagine that the initiative ought to proceed by fixing the shortcomings,” stated the Turkish president who has taken on the function of mediator between Ukraine and Russia. It was the primary assembly between the 2 leaders since Erdogan’s re-election for a 3rd time period as president in Might.

America and the European Union have dismissed Moscow’s complaints as with out benefit, saying their sanctions don’t goal
Russian grain and fertilisers.

A failure to revive the settlement could have “drastic impacts” in a number of African nations that rely closely on Ukrainian and Russian grain, specialists say.

In an effort to deal with that, Putin instructed reporters in Sochi that Moscow is weeks away from supplying free grain to 6 African nations.

“We’re near finishing agreements with six African states, the place we intend to provide foodstuffs at no cost and even perform supply and logistics at no cost,” he stated.

“Deliveries will start within the subsequent couple of weeks.”

The Russian chief alleged that a big chunk of the grain exported through the Black Sea deal went to the West as a substitute of the poor nations.

Hopes dashed in Turkey

Hopes had been excessive in Turkey that Erdogan would be capable to persuade Putin to return to the Black Sea grain deal, Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar reported from Istanbul.

“Officers right here say Ankara is attempting to persuade a few of the Western nations to let Russia, in a restricted means, again to the worldwide cost system,” Serdar stated, including that insurance coverage corporations would now additionally present insurance coverage to Russian ships which are going to hold Russian grain and fertiliser.

“Will probably be a significant step if it occurs. [It means] Russia goes to breach the worldwide sanctions that had been imposed notably by the West,” he added.

Erdogan has maintained shut ties with Putin in the course of the 18-month war in Ukraine. Turkey has not joined Western sanctions in opposition to Russia following its full-scale invasion, rising as a fundamental buying and selling companion and logistical hub for Russia’s abroad commerce.

NATO member Turkey, nonetheless, has additionally supported Ukraine, sending arms, assembly Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and backing Kyiv’s bid to affix the alliance.

‘Ukraine is discovering methods to export its grain’

In line with Al Jazeera’s Rob McBride in Kyiv, the result of the assembly in Sochi has been handled with “cynicism” in Ukraine.

“Folks [are] saying it was Russia that invaded Ukraine and turned the Black Sea right into a conflict zone, pointing at Russia’s assaults on Ukraine’s grain exporting infrastructure,” McBride stated.

Russia has ramped up drone and missile assaults on Ukrainian grain ports and storage infrastructure. Ukraine says tens of hundreds of tonnes of grain have been destroyed within the course of.

Ukraine has arrange its personal hall for the reason that finish of the grain deal – from the port of Odesa – however Russia has threatened to deal with all ships calling at Ukrainian ports as potential navy targets.

“We now have had two extra ships making a passage to the Black Sea from Odesa,” Mc Bride stated.

“Ukraine is discovering methods to export its grain with or with out assist from Russia.”

‘Russia is exacerbating world starvation’

The EU has condemned latest Russian assaults on Ukrainian infrastructure used for exporting grain.

A spokesman for EU overseas affairs chief Josep Borrell stated the assaults present how Russia’s actions are rising world meals costs and placing tens of millions of susceptible individuals all over the world in danger.

In the meantime, German Overseas Minister Annalena Baerbock slammed Putin’s choice to dam the Black Sea grain deal, accusing him of taking part in “cynical” video games.

Baerbock stated Erdogan’s efforts to “get the settlement again on monitor” had been necessary.

“It is just due to Putin that the freighters should not have free passage once more,” she stated, referring to ships loaded with Ukrainian grain which were caught within the nation’s Black Sea ports since July.

“Russia is exacerbating world starvation,” she stated.