04 September 2023; MEMO: Russian President, Vladimir Putin, said Monday that a landmark deal allowing Ukraine to export grain safely through the Black Sea amid the war will not be restored until the West meets Moscow’s demands on its own agricultural exports, AP reports.
According to the report, Ukraine and its Western allies have dismissed the Kremlin’s demands as a ploy to advance its own interests.
Putin’s remarks dashed hopes that today’s talks with Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, could revive an agreement seen as vital for global food supplies, especially in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Putin reiterated those complaints Monday during his meeting with Erdogan, while also telling reporters that if those commitments were honoured, Russia could return to the deal “within days”.
Erdogan also expressed hope that a breakthrough could come soon. He said Turkiye and the UN — which both brokered the original deal — have put together a new package of proposals to unblock the issue.
“We believe that we will reach a solution that will meet the expectations in a short time,” Erdogan said at the news conference held with Putin in the Russian resort of Sochi.
