About a month after agricultural exports across the Black Sea resumed, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have criticized the grain deal. The grain would therefore not go to poor but to rich countries. That was not the purpose of the agreement.
“Our aim was to ensure the supply of grain to the poor,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, according to Croatian Hina news agency. His country has already received grain from Ukraine itself. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, another customer was the European Union, which is bothering him. “As long as the sanctions against Russia continue, Russia does not want the grain delivered to the countries that have imposed sanctions. That bothers Putin,” Erdogan said.
Russia wants to supply its own grain
According to Erdogan, Russia wants to start supplying grain itself as soon as possible, so that sufficient quantities reach poor countries. He wants to discuss this with Putin at a regional summit in Uzbekistan at the end of September. This in turn wants to propose to limit exports to the European Union.
Both Ukraine and Russia are among the largest grain exporters in the world. Since many poorer countries are dependent on imports, the two warring parties, brokered by the UN and Turkey, reached an agreement on July 22. Russia then lifted the blockade of Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea to grain transporters. However, the agreement does not specify where the grain will be delivered. According to the Istanbul-based coordination group, 30 percent of the cargo has so far gone to poorer countries.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
