Ankara open to agreements during Putin's Turkey visit: Source

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
3 Aug 2023 10:37

A source indicates that Ankara is not ruling out the possibility of signing agreements during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Turkey.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, speaks to Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during their talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Friday, Sept. 16, 2022 (Alexandr Demyanchuk, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

A source within Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office informed Sputnik that there is a possibility of signing cooperation agreements, including one on energy, between Turkey and Russia during Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming visit to Turkey.

Erdogan's office had confirmed that the visit was agreed upon during a phone conversation between the two leaders, though no specific date was mentioned.

The source stated that the likelihood of signing agreements during Putin's visit is quite high. Moreover, the partnership between Russia and Turkey is multifaceted, with fruitful collaboration occurring across various domains.

"It will become clear before the visit in what areas we could expand and enhance our cooperation. They [agreements] are possible in many areas, from energy to cooperation on extinguishing wildfires, the effectiveness of which we have seen recently," the source also said.

It is worth noting that the Kremlin affirmed, on Thursday, that Putin informed Erdogan, during a phone conversation on Wednesday, that the Black Sea Grain Initiative had lost its significance due to the lack of progress in implementing the part of the agreement concerning Russia.

Putin outlined Russia's principled stance on the termination of the "package" agreements related to the export of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports and the unblocking of supplies of Russian food and fertilizers, as per the Kremlin.

"Vladimir Putin outlined Russia's principled position in connection with the termination of the ‘package’ agreements on the export of Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea ports and the unblocking of supplies of Russian food and fertilizers. It was noted that the agreement's extension has lost its meaning in the conditions of a complete lack of progress in the implementation of the Russian part of the grain deal. The readiness to return to the Istanbul agreements was confirmed as soon as the West actually fulfills all the deal's obligations towards Russia," the Kremlin said in a statement.

At the time, he also expressed that the extension of the agreement had become meaningless because of the lack of progress on Russia's part in the grain deal. However, Putin affirmed that Russia is prepared to return to the Istanbul agreements as soon as the West fulfills all its obligations towards Russia.

The Kremlin also mentioned that options for supplying grain to countries in need are under consideration. Putin emphasized that they are working on reliable options for the supply of Russian grain, possibly even on a free-of-charge basis, to countries with urgent food requirements. This topic was extensively discussed during the second Russia-Africa summit held in St. Petersburg. The Kremlin expressed readiness to collaborate in this area with Turkey and other interested nations.

"It was emphasized that, taking into account the needs of the countries most in need of food, reliable options for the supply of Russian grain, including on a free-of-charge basis, are being worked out. This issue was substantively discussed at the second Russia-Africa summit recently held in St. Petersburg. The readiness for cooperation in this area with Turkey and other interested states was expressed," the Kremlin concluded.