On Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a two-month extension of a UN-supported agreement that allows Ukraine to export grain over the Black Sea to international markets.
Prior to a runoff election on May 28 where he would attempt to extend his two-decade rule till 2028, Erdogan made the statement one day before it was scheduled to expire.
For their contributions to extending the deal, he hailed “my precious friend,” Russian President Vladimir Putin, his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
“With the efforts of our country, the support of our Russian friends, the contribution of our Ukrainian friends, it was decided to prolong the Black Sea grain deal for two more months,” Erdogan said in nationally televised remarks.
According to Kyiv, it was “grateful” to the UN and Turkey.
Erdogan expressed hope that the agreement would be “beneficial for all the parties” and added that Russia has committed not to prevent ships from leaving two Ukrainian ports.
Before Russia invaded in February of last year, Ukraine was one of the main grain exporters in the world.
Russian warships blockaded Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea, driving up food costs globally and disproportionately harming the world’s poorest people.
In order to resolve the conflict, a compromise was originally mediated by Turkey and the UN in July 2022. This agreement established secure routes for the shipment of Ukrainian goods.
Since the start of the war, Moscow and Kiev have only agreed to this one agreement. “Putin gives Erdogan the victory” Since the initiative’s inception, more over 30 million tonnes of grain and agricultural goods have been exported.
But ever since, the agreement has been in jeopardy as Russia and Ukraine have been unable to agree on extending it before its expiration dates. Following a number of requirements set forward by Russia, including the ability to export fertilizer, the agreement was renewed in March for 60 days rather than the 120 days Ukraine had requested.
Officials from Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, and the UN gathered last week in Istanbul to discuss the most recent renewal, which was delayed by a different request to begin the export of Russian ammonia through a pipeline.
Fertilizer contains ammonia as a key ingredient, whose export Russia claims the West is preventing in breach of prior agreements. In an effort to increase the amount of agricultural products it exports via land, Ukraine has run into opposition from neighboring EU nations, where farmers claim their goods are being undercut on price.
The declaration was viewed as Erdogan’s most recent diplomatic achievement after his unsuccessful attempt to defeat Kemal Kilicdaroglu, a secular challenger, in last Sunday’s presidential election.
By hosting two early, but ultimately unsuccessful rounds of peace talks between the warring parties, NATO member Turkey has sought to maintain positive ties between Russia and Ukraine.
Erdogan’s domestic political narrative of exhibiting responsible statesmanship and boosting Turkish influence abroad has benefited from the diplomatic overtures.
Emre Peker of the Eurasia Group consultancy tweeted, “Putin gives Erdogan another diplomatic win ahead of the 28 May presidential election run-off.”