[gpt3] Rewrite this title: Turkey’s Erdogan says Black Sea grain deal can be restored soon [/gpt4]

## Erdogan and Putin Discuss Revival of Grain Deal Amidst Russian Export Restrictions

Recent talks in Sochi between Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Russia’s Vladimir Putin centered on the potential revival of a grain deal, which previously helped to ease a food crisis by ensuring Ukrainian grain reached the market. Erdogan stated that it would soon be feasible to restore the deal that the United Nations claims had a significant impact on alleviating food shortages.

In July, Russia withdrew from the deal, which the United Nations and Turkey had brokered the previous year. Russia cited significant hindrances to its own food and fertilizer exports as the reason for its exit. Both Erdogan and the United Nations are currently attempting to persuade Russia to reenter the agreement.

## Russia’s Exit from the Grain Deal

While Putin agreed that Russia might consider returning to the deal, he insisted that the West must cease its restrictions on Russian agricultural exports. A memorandum with the United Nations also calls for conditions that would better facilitate Russia’s exports of food and fertilizer.

Russia and Ukraine are among the world’s key agricultural producers, contributing significantly to the global wheat, barley, maize, rapeseed, rapeseed oil, sunflower seed, and sunflower oil markets. Putin anticipates a grain harvest of 130 million tonnes this year, with the potential to export 60 million tonnes.

## The UN’s Attempts to Revive the Deal

The United Nations has been proactive in trying to resurrect the deal. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently presented Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov with “a set of concrete proposals” aimed at achieving this goal.

One of Moscow’s primary demands involves the reconnection of the Russian Agricultural Bank to the SWIFT international payments system. The European Union severed this connection in June 2022 as part of its sweeping sanctions imposed in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

## Turkey’s Role in the Negotiations

Erdogan suggested that Ukraine should soften its negotiating stance against Russia in talks over reviving the deal and focus on exporting more grain to Africa rather than Europe. He further added that both Turkey and the United Nations have been working on a new package of suggestions to help alleviate Russian concerns.

In conclusion, the revival of the grain deal relies heavily on the lifting of restrictions on Russian exports, a softer stance from Ukraine, and the successful negotiation of new terms that address Russia’s concerns. The United Nations and Turkey continue to play vital roles in this process.

Original Story at www.reuters.com – 2023-09-05 01:27:00