Russian, Turkish presidents met in Sochi for discussion of options for revitalizing the Black Sea grain deal.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said after talks with Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Monday that a solution can be reached to revive the grain deal.

However, in various Russian media leaks it is said that Putin-Erdogan talks failed to produce a revived Black Sea Grain Initiative.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said instead his country was ready to work with Qatar and Türkiye to transport grains to many African countries.

Russia quit the deal in July – a year after it was brokered by the United Nations and Turkey – refusing to extend the deal until the Russia-related provisions were fulfilled.

Erdogan, who previously played a significant role in convincing Putin to stick with the deal, and the United Nations are both trying to get Putin to return to the deal.

“As Turkey, I believe that we will reach a solution that will meet the expectations in a short time.

We wish the ongoing conflicts to be ended as soon as possible with a lasting and just peace on the basis of international law,” Erdogan said in Sochi after his face-to-face meeting with Putin.

Erdogan said that Russia’s expectations were well-known to all and that the shortcomings should be eliminated, adding that Turkey and the United Nations had worked on a new package of suggestions to ease Russian concerns.

“One of the issues that we focused on was the revitalization of the Black Sea Initiative,” Turkish president stated, adding that in consultation with the United Nations, they have prepared a new package of proposals that includes significant progress.

The agenda of the talks is attracting attention primarily due to speculation over options for resurrecting the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which provided for safe passage of grain shipments.

Russian representatives, for their part, have consistently emphasized their willingness to return to the grain deal as envisioned by the Istanbul agreements as soon as all of Moscow’s conditions are met.

“Our close contact with Russia will continue to contribute to the resolution of regional and global issues,” Erdogan added.