THE TURKISH PRESIDENT IS TO MEET PUTIN WITH THE AIM OF REVIVING THE UKRAINE GRAIN EXPORT DEAL

The presidents of Russia and Turkiye on Monday, with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeking to persuade Russia to revive an agreement that allowed Ukraine to export grain and other commodities from three Black Sea ports despite the war.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin in July refused to extend the agreement, which was brokered by Turkiye and the United Nations a year earlier. Russia complained that a parallel deal promising to remove obstacles to Russian exports of food and fertilizer hadn't been honoured. It said restrictions on shipping and insurance hampered its agricultural trade, even though it has shipped record amounts of wheat since last year.

The leaders are to meet in the Black Sea city of Sochi, where the Russian president has a residence, and a lot is riding on the talks for the world food supply. The meeting takes place against a backdrop of more than 18 months of war and Ukraine's recent counteroffensive.