Blending diplomacy with essential trade interests, Turkey’s freshly appointed Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, touched down in Ukraine. His critical mission is to address the pressing concerns of the Russian occupation, negotiate the resumption of a significant grain deal, and champion the broader quest for regional peace.
Established in July 2022, the grain agreement enabled a shipment of over 30 million tons of wheat from Ukraine to global markets. This arrangement experienced an abrupt disruption on July 17, 2023, when Moscow highlighted persistent restrictions on its export portfolio, spanning wheat, fertilizers, and other agricultural commodities.
During his premiere visit to Kiev, Fidan convened with influential Ukrainian personalities: President Volodomyr Zelensky, Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, and the President’s office lead, Andriy Yermak.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry remains tight-lipped about these interactions, revealing merely a photograph without elucidative commentary. Yet, Ukrainian press outlets convey that the conversation orbits around Ukraine’s proposed peace strategy with Russia, the forthcoming Global Peace Summit, and the pivotal grain agreement.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, providing context to Fidan’s diplomatic journey, mentioned that a follow-up visit to Russia is imminent. This tactic reinforces Ankara’s unwavering commitment to reviving the grain deal.
With the United Nations as a collaborator, Turkey has spearheaded dialogues with Ukraine and Russia since Moscow’s abrupt cessation of the deal. Ankara’s current stance is clear: a rejuvenated agreement, encompassing both nations, is paramount for reinvigorating grain logistics.
Given the war’s ominous inception in February 2022, Turkey orchestrates peace-oriented conversations between the feuding nations. President Erdoğan’s sentiment resonates with gravity – highlighting the war’s fruitlessness and peace’s undeniable significance. He aptly conveyed that, there are no winners emerge from war, and peace leaves no losers behind.
With these dynamic engagements unfolding, Erdoğan has also pronounced plans to rendezvous with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the upcoming days, underscoring Turkey’s pivotal role in shaping both trade dynamics and peace dialogues.
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