The leaders of Turkey and Russia met on Sept. 4 in Russia’s southern city of Sochi, where they discussed regional developments, bilateral ties, and the stalled Black Sea Grain Initiative.
There had been hopes that the meeting would yield a breakthrough regarding the stalled Russia–Ukraine grain deal. But, due to complex geopolitical circumstances, these hopes failed to materialize.
At a joint news conference held after the meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Western countries and the United Nations were still refusing to honor key parts of the deal.
“The termination of the Black Sea Initiative was certainly discussed [at the meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan],” the Russian leader said.
“But the West still refuses to meet Russia’s requirements—namely, the unblocking of Russian grain exports.”
Brokered last year by the U.N. and Turkey, the grain deal had allowed Ukraine to export grain—despite ongoing hostilities—through the Black Sea.
Before its termination, the deal had allowed Ukraine to export more than 30 million tons of grain from its Black Sea ports to international buyers.
Like Russia, Ukraine ranks among the world’s top producers of grain.
But in mid-July, Russia halted its participation in the agreement, saying that Western countries had failed to comply with key parts of the deal.
Speaking in Sochi, Mr. Erdogan said the grain initiative could—and should—be revived “by correcting its deficiencies.”
He added that Turkey, in conjunction with the U.N., had prepared a “new package of proposals” aimed at reactivating the deal.
“I’m confident we can find a solution in the short term that will meet expectations,” Mr. Erdogan said.
Mr. Erdogan was accompanied on his visit by a sizable delegation that included the Turkish ministers of foreign affairs, defense, energy, industry, and trade, as well as the country’s intelligence chief.
The last time that Mr. Putin met with his Turkish counterpart was in October 2022, when they both attended a Central Asian summit in Kazakhstan.
Russian Conditions
According to Moscow, a key part of the grain deal—in the form of a memorandum signed between Russia and the U.N.—was never satisfactorily implemented.The Russia–U.N. memorandum calls for removing barriers to Russian grain and fertilizer exports. It also calls for the reconnection of Russia’s state-run agricultural bank to the international SWIFT payment system.
Last year, the European Union disconnected the bank from the SWIFT system following Russia’s invasion of eastern Ukraine.
At the news conference, Mr. Putin reiterated his country’s willingness to revive the grain deal if the conditions laid out in the memorandum were met.
“We’re ready to consider reviving the deal ... and will do so immediately once restrictions on Russian agricultural exports are lifted,” he said.
Western officials assert that Russia’s exit from the deal has exacerbated a global food crisis and deprived poor nations of grain.
Moscow, however, disputes that claim, saying the vast majority of Ukrainian grain exported under the deal went to wealthy European markets.
At a Russia–Africa summit in July, Mr. Putin accused the West of obstructing Russian grain exports “while simultaneously blaming us for the world food crisis.”
At the summit, which was held in St. Petersburg, he also announced plans to provide several African states with shipments of free Russian grain.
Speaking in Sochi, Mr. Putin declared that free Russian grain would start being shipped to Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, the Central African Republic, and Eritrea “within the next two or three weeks.”
The Russian and Turkish leaders also tabled a plan, to be carried out in conjunction with Qatar, to send 1 million tons of Russian grain to Turkey. They said it would be processed there into flour before being forwarded—free of charge—to poor nations.
“Qatar has confirmed its readiness to provide financial support for a Qatar–Russia–Turkey scheme to deliver Russian grain—processed into flour—to poor countries,” Mr. Erdogan said.
‘New Phase’ of Relations
When Russia launched its invasion of eastern Ukraine early last year, Turkey, a longstanding NATO member, condemned the move.But Turkey has refrained from supporting Western sanctions on Russia, with which it shares extensive trade ties and a lengthy maritime border.
Under Mr. Erdogan, who won another five-year presidential term in May, Ankara has maintained good relations with Moscow. Moreover, Mr. Erdogan has remained on good personal terms with his Russian counterpart.
At a landmark meeting one year ago in Sochi, Mr. Putin and Mr. Erdogan signed a handful of agreements aimed at enhancing bilateral ties, especially in the fields of energy and trade.
In October 2022, Mr. Putin proposed making Turkey a regional hub for the distribution of Russian natural gas.
Turkey is a major consumer of Russian natural gas, which accounts for almost half of its total gas imports.
Mr. Putin also offered Russia’s help in building a distribution center in Turkey to re-export Russian gas to third countries, including those of the European Union.
Mr. Erdogan embraced the proposal, and the two countries agreed to begin building a gas distribution hub in Turkey’s northwestern Thrace region.
After their latest meeting in Sochi, both leaders confirmed that the plan is still in the works.
“We have made progress,” Mr. Putin said. “I hope that talks on the creation of a gas hub in Turkey will be completed in the near future with a view to stabilizing the regional energy situation.
“Russia has always been a reliable supplier of gas,” he added. “We will continue providing Turkey with this cheap and eco-friendly fuel, which we hope to re-export—via Turkey—to third countries.”
Speaking in Sochi, Mr. Erdogan said that total annual trade between Turkey and Russia currently stands at $62 billion.
“We’re moving toward our common target of $100 billion, which we are both very pleased with,” the Turkish leader said.
Turkey–Russia relations, he went on to assert, are “entering a new phase.”
