2 yıl önce

Türkiye has 'more leverage' than US on grain deal

There is no alternative to Black Sea grain export initiative that Ankara brokered, says State Department spokesperson, adding US wants Russia to commit to not targeting ships in the region.

Ali Topchi

TRTWorld

US is looking for "just a statement [from Moscow] that ships won't be subject to the military operation," Ned Price says.

Türkiye is in a strong position compared to the United States when it comes to the Black Sea grain deal, a State Department spokesperson has said after Russia suspended its participation in the Ankara-brokered agreement, raising fears of attacks on Ukrainian exports and the spectre of global food crisis.

"Türkiye obviously has more leverage than I think we do. UN has more leverage than we do," Ned Price told reporters on Tuesday.

Price said the UN's announcement of pausing its operations to monitor grain movement in the Black Sea has led to uncertainty. "We will have to see how long that lasts," he said.

Price said he does not think there is an alternative to the Black Sea grain export initiative and Washington wants Russia to make it clear that it will not target ships carrying grains in the region.

Price said the US is looking for "just a statement [from Moscow] that ships won't be subject to military operations."

Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul on July 22 to maintain Black Sea grain exports after it was stopped following Russia's aggression on Ukraine on February 24.

On Saturday, Russia halted its participation in the deal following a drone attack on the Crimean naval port of Sevastopol that it blamed on Kiev. Since then Moscow has been demanding "real guarantees" from Ukraine before returning to the deal.

Top Turkish, US diplomats expected to speak

Ankara has been at the forefront to help achieve a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia and wants the grain deal — which has seen over nine million tonnes of food grains exported since early August — to stay unharmed.

Following Moscow's decision to suspend participation in the agreement, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan spoke with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Putin told Erdogan that Russia could consider resuming its participation only after a proper investigation is conducted over a drone attack on its naval port. Moscow is also seeking guarantees from Ukraine that it won't use the "humanitarian corridor for military purposes."

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar meanwhile contacted his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu, noting that both countries are evaluating the available information regarding the deal and ways to keep it active.

Mevlut Cavusoglu, Türkiye's top diplomat, also spoke with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss the suspended deal.

Meanwhile, State Department's Price told TRT World that US officials have held low-level conversations with Turkish officials regarding the Black Sea grain agreement and he expects top US diplomat Antony Blinken to speak with his Turkish counterpart Cavusoglu "in the coming days."

SOURCE: TRT World