Bild claims that Russia is negotiating with Türkiye to export grain bypassing Ukraine

Russia has held secret talks with Türkiye to conclude a future grain export agreement after it unilaterally withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

Source: German newspaper Bild with reference to the correspondence between the two countries, reported by European Pravda

Details: As it is noted in the documents available to Bild, Moscow proposed that Ankara sign a memorandum on exporting its grain to countries that need it. Such deliveries would take place under the auspices of the UN World Food Programme and would be financed by Qatar.

The Turkish side offered to conclude such an agreement, but on the precondition that Russia also returns to the Black Sea Grain Initiative – that is, Türkiye wants to link and mutually secure Russian grain exports with those from Ukraine.

German intelligence services, as Bild stated, suggested that an agreement between Türkiye, Russia and Qatar could be concluded as early as 26-27 August in Hungary, where the World Athletics Championships are starting.

To this end, Bild says that Putin's confidant, President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, who, like Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is a Sunni Muslim, will travel to Budapest this weekend. It was at the insistence of the Hungarian side that Minnikhanov was not added to the EU sanctions list in May 2023, so he can enter Hungary.

Minnikhanov is believed to meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Sunday, 20 August – the same day that Erdoğan is due to visit Hungary. Bild speculates that the deal on Russian grain exports could be finalised then.

Such a deal is dangerous for Kyiv because, first, it would allow Moscow to legitimise the export of grain stolen from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, and second, it would limit its ability to hit Russian warships in the Black Sea.

Background: On 17 July, Russia announced the suspension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and threatened "risks" to the parties that decide to continue the initiative without Russia's participation. In addition, Moscow began large-scale attacks on the port infrastructure of Odesa and on Danube ports.

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