Jabar Ekspres – Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday (Sep 4, 2020) that Moscow will return to the Black Sea grain deal as soon as its conditions are met.

“We will be ready to revive the wheat deal, and we will do this as soon as all restrictions on exports of Russian agricultural products are lifted,” Putin told a press conference after talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Russian city of Sochi.

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Putin said Russia’s wheat harvest could reach 130 million tons this year, and the country’s export potential would remain at 60 million tons.

He said Moscow is not against the wheat deal, but warned Ukraine against using wheat export corridors for military purposes.

Erdogan noted that Turkiye is working on a new package of proposals together with the UN. He expressed confidence that the proposals would help move forward with the deal as soon as possible.

The Russian leader further said that Moscow will continue to export food and fertilizer to help stabilize global food prices. He said that Russia, Turkiye and Qatar will work together to deliver 1 million tons of Russian grain to countries in need.

This initiative will contribute to solving the global food crisis, Putin said, but he added that it should not be seen as an alternative to the Black Sea grain deal.

The two leaders also discussed bilateral relations in energy and trade, including the joint construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant. Putin noted that the first unit of the plant is expected to be launched next year.

Putin further affirmed Moscow’s readiness to establish a regional gas center in Turkiye to channel gas supplies to third countries.