Turkiye in talks with Russia, Ukraine to set up wheat export corridor 

Turkiye is in negotiations with Russia and Ukraine to open a corridor via the Bosphorus for grain exports from Ukraine, a senior Turkish official told Reuters today.

Ukraine’s Black Sea ports have been blocked since Russia invaded in February and more than 20 million tonnes of grain are stuck in silos there.

Russia and Ukraine account for nearly a third of global wheat supplies and the lack of exports from Ukraine is contributing to a growing global food crisis.

“Turkiye is negotiating with both Russia and Ukraine for the export of grains from Ukraine,” the official said, requesting anonymity because the talks were confidential.

“With a corridor to be opened from Turkiye, there was a demand for this grain to reach their targeted markets. Negotiations are still ongoing,” the person added.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko was quoted as saying yesterday that Moscow was ready to provide a corridor for vessels carrying food in return for lifting of some Western sanctions.

Turkiye neighbours Ukraine and Russia on the Black Sea and has good relations with both, even as it has condemned the invasion.

“Turkiye is ready to contribute to a kind of monitoring of these exports from Odesa through the Black Sea because Turkiye traditionally is very strong in the Black Sea and they are ready to help,” a senior European diplomat said yesterday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Turkiye already has two frigates, two submarines and a half-dozen patrol and fast-attack ships in the Black Sea and much more could be quickly summoned for such a mission, said Yoruk Isik, Istanbul-based head of the Bosphorus Observer consultancy.

It could hypothetically patrol the food corridor routes and also sweep for mines, which Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of having planted.