Türkiye may host talks on “grain deal” resumption – Sabah media

Ankara is working on proposals to restore the grain deal. Negotiations on this issue may take place in Istanbul, local media Sabah reports.

While Ankara is working on project proposals to resume exports from Ukraine,  the termination of the "grain deal" could cause global problems, as grain prices have already risen by 15%.

Technical talks between Moscow and Kyiv on the activation of the corridor may take place in Istanbul, the Turkish publication writes.

Ukraine and Russia did not sign a direct agreement when the grain corridor was opened. Ukraine signed an agreement with Turkey and the UN, while Moscow did the same.

On July 17, the Kremlin refused to extend the grain deal. The Russian president's spokesman, Dmitriy Peskov, said that the agreements on the grain initiative had been effectively terminated.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed that Turkey and the UN continue the grain initiative in a trilateral format. The state is considering the possibility of transporting food through the territorial waters of Romania and Bulgaria.

On July 19, the Russian Defense Ministry threatened that any countries using the flags of ships to Ukrainian ports would be considered involved in the war.

At the same time, Russia's Putin said that Moscow would resume its participation in the "grain deal" only if the West fulfills a number of Kremlin-supported requirements.

Russia has begun to openly threaten civilian ships transporting food from Ukrainian ports. In recent days, the Kremlin has turned the Black Sea into a danger zone. Ukraine responded to Russia's threats by announcing to sink enemy ships.

Almost a month after Russia withdrew from the grain deal, Ukraine announced the opening of temporary corridors in the Black Sea for merchant ships. However, the Ukrainian Navy emphasized that the threat from Russia remains.

On August 16, the first commercial vessel is heading for the Bosphorus within the newly created temporary corridor from the ports of the Odesa region.