Ukrainian Foreign Minister Says Kiev Won't Make Concessions on Black Sea Grain Initiative
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Ukraine will not make any concessions on the Black Sea Grain Initiative and take into account Russia's position so as to resume the deal, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said, commenting on recent remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Earlier in the day, Erdogan said at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that he considers Moscow's expectations on the grain initiative to be "fair," while expressing hope that the new package of proposals on the grain deal could contribute to its revival.
"Our position is fair. We should not be held hostage to Russia's blackmailing further on when Russia creates problems and then invites all of them to solve these problems," Kuleba was quoted by a Ukrainian news outlet as saying.
Ukrainian diplomats held talks with Turkish officials before Erdogan's meeting with Putin in the Russian city of Sochi and made their position on the issue "clear," the Ukrainian minister added.
On July 18, the Turkiye- and UN-mediated Black Sea Grain Initiative, or the grain deal, which provided for a humanitarian corridor to allow exports of Ukrainian grain over the past year, expired, as Russia did not renew its participation in the deal. Moscow said that the deal's component on facilitating Russian grain and fertilizer exports had not been fulfilled.
© Sputnik
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