Erdogan will meet with Putin in August to discuss extending the Black Sea Grain pact. Erdogan confirmed that President Vladimir Putin would visit Turkey in August during a news conference with President Zelenskiy.

 

Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, has emphasised his urgent need to prolong the Black Sea grain agreement with Russia by at least three months. 

Erdogan made the declaration during a joint press conference with the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, where they also talked about the future of the agreement that permits grain to be safely exported from Ukrainian ports across the Black Sea despite the current conflict. Erdogan also disclosed that President Vladimir Putin will go to Turkey in August, and that a main item on their agenda would be the grain agreement.

"We hope that it will be extended at least once every three months, not just every two months," Erdogan stated. We'll endeavour to extend it for a longer period of time in this respect.

Prisoner exchanges were an important subject that was also covered during the conference. Zelenskiy stated that Ukraine placed a high priority on getting its captives back, particularly political detainees and Crimean Tatars. This stance was shared by Erdogan, who stated, "If we make some phone calls before [the meeting], we will discuss it on the call as well." Both of the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to finding a swift solution.

The discussions between Erdogan and Zelenskiy are of utmost significance since Russian President Putin has praised their efforts to resolve the crisis in Ukraine. Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, indicated that Putin and Erdogan would meet again in the future and praised Erdogan for his helpful contributions to efforts at mediation.

Turkey has performed a significant diplomatic balancing act during the war. Turkey has kept friendly ties with both Russia and Ukraine while denouncing Russia's incursion and aiding Ukraine by sending Bayraktar drones. Turkey, a NATO member, has advocated for the respect of Ukraine's sovereignty and actively assisted in arranging prisoner swaps. Erdogan's backing for Kiev joining NATO further demonstrates Turkey's dedication to Ukraine's independence and its wish to see Kiev and Moscow resume talks.