Russia Considers New Grain Deal with Turkey

Russia has expressed the possibility of a new grain deal with Turkey if its demands are met. This announcement comes after Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Initiative earlier this week. The agreement, facilitated by the United Nations and Turkey, aimed to prevent a global food crisis by allowing the export of grain banned by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine from Black Sea ports.

Potential for New Grain Export Options

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin stated that Moscow is willing to explore alternative options for grain exports. However, there are currently no discussions regarding an alternative to the Black Sea deal.

Hopes for Deal Revival

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, one of the sponsors of the grain deal, expressed hopes of reviving the agreement through talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Erdogan warned that the collapse of the deal could lead to higher food prices, increased hunger, and potentially trigger new waves of migration.

Accusations and Denials

Russia claimed that a parallel memorandum, in which it pledged to facilitate exports of food and fertilizers, was ignored. Western leaders accuse Moscow of seeking relief from sanctions imposed due to its invasion of Ukraine, resulting in the exclusion of Russian food exports. Russian grain had been freely transported across the Black Sea for marketing throughout the conflict.

Call for Western Countries to Follow Putin’s Expectations

Erdogan urged Western countries to align with Putin’s expectations regarding the grain deal. He also expressed his hope for a potential visit from Putin to Turkey in August and mentioned the possibility of a phone call and face-to-face meeting in the near future.

War Preparations and Accusations

Since withdrawing from the deal, Russia has warned that any ships traveling to Ukraine would be assumed to be carrying weapons, and countries flying the Russian flag would be considered involved in the war. In response, Ukraine issued a similar warning regarding ships bound for Russia. Vershinin accused Ukraine of using the grain export corridor to launch “terrorist attacks” against Russian interests, including an attack on the Crimean bridge. Ukraine denied using the corridor for military purposes, while Vershinin claimed, without evidence, that there had been several instances of this.

Past Attacks and Allegations

According to Vershinin, the Crimean Bridge, a crucial link between southern Russia and Crimea, has been targeted twice by naval drones, causing significant damage. These attacks were apparently carried out by Ukraine, with tacit admission of the first attack in October. Moscow also accused Ukraine of attacking the main base of the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, Crimea, with Navy drones launched from the Ukrainian port of Odessa through safe passage waters. Russia claimed that the targeted ships were involved in securing the grain lane.