Russia ready to restart grain deal if sanctions lifted, Putin tells Erdoğan

Moscow could revive the Black Sea grain deal and allow Ukraine to export millions of tons of agricultural products to food-importing nations in exchange for Western sanctions on Russia being relaxed, President Vladimir Putin said on Monday.

Speaking after talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the Russian resort city of Sochi, Putin said that the U.N.-brokered deal could be restarted “in the coming days,” provided restrictions on Russian agricultural exports were dropped.

“We are not against this deal. We are ready to return to it as soon as the commitments towards us are fulfilled,” Putin said. However, at the same time, he claimed that the West “deceived us at the expense of humanitarian goals” in the implementation of the grain deal.

Russia, he added, will supply 1 million tons of discounted grain for processing in Turkey and then to be shipped on to poorer nations for free.

Erdogan, meanwhile, said that there was no alternative to the now-defunct deal and said he had presented proposals for its reinstatement, while also insisting Ankara stands ready to mediate between the two sides in the war in Ukraine.

The Black Sea grain deal, struck in July of last year, ensured almost 33 million tons of crops were able to leave Ukraine’s blockaded ports under escort from Turkey. The agreement, which had been credited with averting the risk of famine in the developing world, collapsed after Putin announced Moscow would withdraw from it unilaterally in July.

In the wake of the decision, Russia unleashed a string of attacks against Ukraine’s maritime infrastructure and agricultural silos. Kyiv says as much as 60,000 tons of grain were destroyed. Investigations have also shown Russia has systematically stolen Ukrainian grain during its occupation of the south of the country, with Turkey acting as a hub for its sale.

Instead of the widely supported agreement, the Russian leader claimed he would ensure shipments of grain were given to selected African countries for free. However, Comoros President Azali Assoumani, who serves as the head of the 55-member African Union, said he had called on Moscow "to see how we can restart this agreement."

"Both Putin and Erdoğan want to be seen as friends of the global south," said Özgür Ünlühisarcıklı, the director of the German Marshall Fund of the United States’ Ankara office.

"The grain deal in itself isn’t as important for Turkey as increasing its capacity for diplomacy and mediation. There’s been criticism of Erdoğan’s balancing act, and restoring the grain deal would have a payoff for the whole world."

According to Tan Albayrak, an international trade lawyer at Reed Smith, "Erdoğan clearly views the Black Sea Initiative as his shining moment in the international arena — as well as a chance to add emphasis to Turkey’s rising strategic importance."

"Russia re-joining the Initiative would not only be a plus for the global grain trade, but would also play into Erdogan’s domestic agenda in Turkey," he added.

Putin also said on Monday that he and Erdoğan would "hopefully soon finalize negotiations on the creation of a gas hub in Turkey."

Under the terms of the plan, Ankara would export Moscow’s natural gas to the rest of the world in a move that EU officials have already warned has them concerned about the risk of sanctions avoidance.