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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov kicked off a two-day visit to Turkey, where he is expected to hold talks on unblocking grain exports from Ukraine.
At the heart of the negotiations is the opening of a corridor for ships transporting Ukrainian grain. Turkey has offered to escort ships from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, which have been blocked by the Moscow offensive.
Lavrov is scheduled to meet with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on June 7 to resume talks, and Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said he had seen “significant progress” in a possible deal that would allow grain exports. .
Akar’s statements came hours before Lavrov arrived in Turkey.
Russia has taken control of large parts of Ukraine’s coast since launching an offensive on February 24, and its warships control the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
Russian President Vladimir Putin last week told his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, that Moscow is ready to work with Ankara to unlock maritime exports.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on June 7 that Ukraine must remove mines from its coast in order to allow grain exports.
“This will allow the ships, after being checked by our army to make sure they have no weapons, to enter ports, pick up cargoes of grain and with our help sail in international waters,” Peskov said.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the two main Ukrainian ports in the Russian-controlled Azov Sea – Berdiyanska and Mariupol – were ready to resume grain shipments, but added that Kiev needed to demine the area in order to the export of goods can be done.
The main Ukrainian port in Odessa is also blocked.
The Russian offensive in Ukraine has disrupted supplies of wheat and other products from Ukraine and Russia, raising concerns that there may be food shortages worldwide.
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