On Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Russian President Vladimir Putin may visit Türkiye next month for talks on several issues.
RELATED:
Putin Says Ukraine NATO Membership Threatens Russia’s Security
"We are preparing to host Putin in August," Erdogan told reporters after Friday prayers at an Istanbul mosque.
After noting that the United Nations Secretary Antonio Guterres sent a letter to Putin, Erdogan expressed optimism that Moscow will put aside its reluctance and approve a new extension of the grain agreement.
"I hope that with this letter, with the joint efforts of us and Russia, we will ensure the expansion of the grain corridor works," he responded to a question posed by a journalist.
One of the key issues expected on the agenda of the two leaders' talks is whether the Black Sea Grain Initiative will be prolonged.
The deal, brokered by Türkiye and the United Nations that allows Ukraine to export grain and other agricultural products from its Black Sea ports, will expire on July 17.
Erdogan called for extending the deal last week, stressing that poor African countries in particular are in desperate need of grain shipments from Ukraine.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative was launched in July 2022 to provide a humanitarian maritime corridor for ships with food and fertilizer exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports.