Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attend a press conference in Istanbul, Türkiye, July 8, 2023. (Photo by Omer Kuscu/Xinhua)
ISTANBUL, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday called for extending the Black Sea Grain Initiative which expires on July 17.
"We are making efforts to extend the duration of the Black Sea grain deal," said Erdogan at a press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, noting that almost 33 million tons of grain have been delivered to those in need under the deal.
As the agreement expires on July 17, Erdogan said, "We are working on how long we can extend this period after July 17," adding that poor African countries in particular are in desperate need of grain shipments from Ukraine.
Erdogan noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit Türkiye next month and that he will discuss this issue with Putin face-to-face.
"We have made the most intensive efforts to bring the war between Russia and Ukraine to an end through negotiations on the basis of international law," said the Turkish president.
Zelensky said that Ukraine wants to implement a peace plan and that Türkiye is ready to assume leadership on this issue. "The well-being of the peoples in our region depends on us. We need to ensure this stability in the Black Sea region," he said.
The United Nations and Türkiye brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative with Russia and Ukraine to provide a humanitarian maritime corridor for ships with food and fertilizer exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports in July 2022. ■
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul, Türkiye, July 7, 2023. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday met with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in the Turkish city of Istanbul, the Turkish presidency said. (Turkish Presidency/Handout via Xinhua)