Erdogan confident in extending Ukrainian grain deal

Istanbul, Türkiye: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday expressed confidence in the prospects of an extension of the deal that allows Ukraine to export its grain and ease a global food crisis.

“We are preparing to welcome Putin in August and we agree on the extension of the Black Sea grain corridor,” Erdogan told reporters.

HIGH HOPES Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gestures during a press conference during the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. AFP PHOTO

The Turkish leader said he spoke with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin about the crucial deal, which was due to expire on Monday, although he did not say when the conversation took place.

Asked by Russian news agencies, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov neither confirmed nor denied Erdogan’s statement. “There is no statement about this from Russia,” he said.

Get the latest news


delivered to your inbox

Sign up for Manila Times newsletters

By registering with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and accept the terms of use and the privacy policy.

The Black Sea Grains Agreement was first signed in July 2022, five months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, and has already been renewed twice. But this time, Putin has repeatedly threatened not to renew it due to obstacles to Russian exports.

Earlier on Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking in Jakarta, called on Russia to extend the deal, warning that the most vulnerable countries would suffer without it.

“Developing countries, including [this] region, will pay the price, including literally higher food prices, as well as greater food shortages,” Blinken told reporters after a summit of Southeast Asian foreign ministers was held. Is in the Indonesian capital this week.

This week, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres sent Putin a letter regarding the extension of the deal. He supports the removal of obstacles to Russia’s export of its fertilizers, another element that Moscow has complained about is not being respected.

Erdogan said he hoped “that with this letter we will ensure the extension of the grain corridor with our joint efforts and those of Russia.”

“Discussions are ongoing,” Guterres spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. “WhatsApp messages are sent; signal messages are sent and exchanged.”

They were still awaiting a response to Guterres’ letter, he added.

On Thursday, Putin had argued that none of Moscow’s conditions for the deal to work had been met.

“I want to emphasize that nothing has been done, nothing at all. Everything is one-sided,” Putin said in a TV interview. “We will think about what to do, we still have a few days.”

The deal, which Erdogan helped broker, saw Ukraine ship more than 32 million tonnes of grain ahead of Russian warships in the Black Sea.

Much of the grain has gone to feed people in developing countries in Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere. If exports were blocked again, food prices could climb even higher than they are now.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos