The Turkish government and the United Nations on Sunday began talks with Russia to return the country to the grain and fertilizer export agreement with Ukraine, which it abandoned last Saturday after denouncing an attack by Kiev on its ships in the Crimean port of Sevastopol.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar tweeted that he is in contact with the other parties to the agreement to remind them that the initiative now on hold is «for the good of all Humanity.» «Crises can be resolved with goodwill and dialogue,» he stressed.
A government official in Ankara, on condition of anonymity, confirmed to Bloomberg that negotiations will continue on Monday if they do not result in any progress later in the day.
The same source said that «there is reason for optimism» despite Russia’s assurances the day before that its withdrawal from the agreement, mediated at the time by Turkey, would be «indefinite» in scope.
The UN Joint Coordination Center had already advanced on Saturday the practical impossibility of continuing exports after the Russian withdrawal after confirming that «there is no protocol in force» for the movement of incoming or outgoing vessels as of this Sunday.
The United Nations, the center said in a statement, is «discussing the next steps» following Russia’s decision.
For his part, UN Secretary-General António Guterres is maintaining «intensive contacts» to ensure the Russian return.
Guterres is «deeply concerned» about the situation, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement Sunday, and has set himself «the goal of ending Russia’s suspension of its participation in the Initiative.»
To this end and to be more focused on this effort, Guterres has decided to delay his departure to Algeria, where he was scheduled to participate in the Arab League Summit, the spokesman said.
The UN official’s contacts are also focused on renewing and fully implementing the Initiative «to facilitate food and fertilizer exports from Ukraine, as well as to remove remaining obstacles to Russian food and fertilizer exports».
