No other option can be alternative to Black Sea Grain Initiative: Turkish foreign minister

Türkiye continues efforts to revive Black Sea grain deal before its gains are lost, says Hakan Fidan

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday that no other options can be alternatives to the Black Sea Grain Initiative as they carry risks. "We know that alternative ways are currently being sought for grain export. However, we also see that these ways cannot be an alternative to the original initiative and contain risks," Fidan said at a news conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in the capital Kyiv. Türkiye continues its efforts to revive the Black Sea grain deal before its gains are lost, Fidan said, stressing that thanks to this initiative, more than 33 million tons of grains and food products reached international markets. "This is why we will continue to engage in dialogue with all parties at all levels," he added. On July 17, Russia suspended its participation in the Black Sea grain deal, brokered by Türkiye and the UN, to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports that were paused after the Ukraine war in February 2022. Moscow has repeatedly complained that the West has not met its obligations regarding Russia's own grain exports. It says restrictions on payments, logistics and insurance have been a barrier to its shipments. Ankara has been carrying out intense efforts for the restoration of the July 2022 deal, and has also called on Kyiv and Moscow to end the war through negotiations.