During meetings with his Russian counterpart in Ankara, Turkey’s foreign minister said a UN plan to restart Ukrainian grain shipments over a sea corridor was “acceptable.”
“Various concepts have been put forward for the export of Ukrainian grains to the market,” Turkey’s Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday alongside Russia’s Sergey Lavrov. “The most current is the UN plan [containing] a mechanism that may be developed between the UN, Ukraine, Russia, and Turkey.”
The UN-led mechanism aims to provide a secure corridor for the shipment of an estimated 22 million tonnes of grain stored in Ukrainian silos across the Black Sea, and might include a Turkish naval escort for tankers leaving Odesa and other Ukrainian ports now blocked by Russia’s fleet.
“It seems reasonable to us,” he continued. “Of course, it must be accepted by both Ukraine and Russia.”
In February, Russia invaded Ukraine, halting Kyiv’s Black Sea grain exports and risking a global food crisis. The United Nations urged the two sides, as well as Turkey, a maritime neighbour and NATO member, to reach an agreement.
Ankara, which has good relations with both Kyiv and Moscow and had previously said it was ready to take on a role within an “observation mechanism,” also backed Russia’s request for an end to sanctions to help grain onto the world market.
“If we need to open up the international market to Ukrainian grain, we see the removal of obstacles standing in the way of Russia’s exports as a legitimate demand,” Cavusoglu said.
According to Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar, who is reporting from Ankara, the conference “had no clear result.”
Turkey, on the other hand, was planned to hold an upcoming meeting in Istanbul to which Ukrainian officials will be invited.
Serdar also stated that while Moscow expects a Ukrainian delegation to attend the event, Kyiv is assessing security concerns.
Russia favorable to a deal, blames Ukraine
Russia’s Lavrov appeared favourable to a compromise on grain shipments during a press conference with Cavusoglu on Wednesday, but stressed that in order to secure an agreement on the commodities corridor, Ukraine needs to allow commercial vessels to leave its ports safely.
He went on to say that Kyiv was responsible for demining ports before grain imports could resume, and he criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for “categorically” refusing to solve the matter.
Moscow will not use grain shipments in and around the Black Sea to advance its “special military operation,” according to Lavrov.
“These are guarantees from Russia’s president,” he explained.
Ukraine said on Wednesday that it would not de-mine the seas surrounding the Black Sea port of Odesa to allow grain to be shipped, citing Russian threats against the city.
“The moment we clear access to the port of Odesa, the Russian fleet will be there,” spokesman for the regional administration Serhiy Bratchuk said in a video statement on social media.
Cavusoglu and Lavrov met as Turkey expressed resistance to Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership ambitions. Moscow has also objected to the Nordic nations’ candidacy, which analysts believe could influence Syria deliberations.
Both Ukraine and Russia have maintained tight ties with Ankara. It has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but has refused to join international sanctions against the Russian government.
Lavrov arrived in Turkey days after NATO allies Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Montenegro reportedly refused to let his plane pass through their airspace on its way to Serbia. Over the Black Sea, Lavrov’s plane was allowed to fly directly to Turkey.
Turkey’s preparations to start a new cross-border attack in northern Syria against Syrian Kurdish militias, which Ankara considers a security danger, were also likely to be discussed.
Despite supporting opposing sides in Syria’s civil conflict, Turkey needs Moscow’s agreement to keep its presence in northern Syria. In 2020, Russian-backed air operations against insurgents in Syria’s last rebel-held region, Idlib, killed 37 Turkish soldiers.
