This handout picture taken and released by Turkish Presidential Press Service on August 5, 2022 shows Russia's President Vladimir Putin meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi. MURAT KULA AFP ISTANBUL MOSCOW Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the Black Sea Grain Initiative renewal over the phone on Saturday.
The Turkish presidency's communications department thanked Putin for Russia's positive stance on the extension of the initiative.
T rkiye's commitment to a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Russian-Ukraine conflict was reiterated by the Turkish leader.
A maritime humanitarian corridor and export grain and fertilizer from Ukraine and Russia were signed by Russia and Ukraine in July of this year and signed by Trkiye and the United Nations in the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
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The deal was extended for 120 days and was in mid-November 2022 and again on March 18.
During the first two terms of the initiative, around 25 million tons of grain and foodstuffs were transported to 45 countries, which helped to bring down global food prices and stabilize the markets, according to the UN.
Putin also discussed topics regarding the Russian-Turkish partnership in various fields during a phone call with Erdogan, according to the Kremlin.
Both sides expressed satisfaction with the positive dynamic of trade and economic relations, the successful implementation of joint strategic power engineering projects, including gas supplies, and the construction of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in T rkiye, the Kremlin said in a statement.
Erdogan expressed his gratitude for the help Russia provided in overcoming the earthquakes in T rkiye, and said that the presidents agreed to continue working on the possibility of delivery of construction materials from Russia to restore destroyed infrastructure and residential buildings.
The Turkish leader positively assessed Russia's consent to extend the Istanbul Agreements that deal with the export of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports and the unblocking of Russian food and fertilizers for 60 days, and the unblocking of exports of Russian food and fertilizers for 60 days.
The importance of continuing the normalization of Turkish-Syrian relations was underlined. The Kremlin said Erdogan highlighted the constructive mediatory role Russia has played in this process.