Russia, Turkey discuss unblocking Ukraine grain exports

Ankara, Jun 8 (EFE).- Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is starting talks with Turkish officials on Wednesday aimed unblocking grain deliveries from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.

Lavrov, who flew to Turkey on Tuesday for a two-day visit, is set to meet with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, before holding a joint press conference in Ankara, official sources told Efe.

The negotiations are to focus on how to get as many as 20 million tons of grain out of Ukrainian ports into international markets and avoid a looming global food crisis.

Turkey has full control over the straits of Dardanelles and Bosporus, which links the Mediterranean to the Black Sea.

At the request of the United Nations, Ankara has proposed to escort ships carrying food from the Ukrainian coast, despite the Russian invasion and the presence of mines.

Lavrov and Cavusoglu are also expected to discuss restarting the Russia-Ukraine peace talks, in which Turkey is willing to mediate.

Turkey’s announcement of a new military operation against Kurdish militias in northern Syria almost three years after the United States and Russia brokered a ceasefire in the area will also be discussed.

Turkey and Russia back opposing warring sides in the Syrian conflict, with Ankara supporting the opposition and Moscow the regime of president Bashar al-Assad.EFE

dt-as/smq/jt