Cabinet meeting set to address stalled grain deal

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is set to take charge of a cabinet meeting on Aug. 7 to address pressing issues related to the grain corridor's future and the nation's economic plan, with a special focus on foreign investment.

The meeting will see the president and his cabinet members delve into the Russia-Ukraine War, the suspended grain corridor and Russian leader Vladimir Putin's possible visit to Türkiye.

The agreement, which had been brokered by Türkiye and the United Nations, encountered a setback when Russia decided to withdraw from it on July 17, alleging unfulfilled obligations by its counterparts in Moscow. Subsequently, Russia launched multiple strikes on Ukrainian ports, including Odesa.

The cabinet meeting aims to discuss potential solutions to reinstate the agreement, and details of Erdoğan's phone call with Putin on Aug. 2 regarding the matter will also be shared.

During the phone call, Erdoğan told Putin that the long-term inactivation of the grain deal "will not benefit anyone" and that the countries in need would suffer the most.

Erdoğan further highlighted the impact of the agreement's suspension on grain prices, stating that they had increased by 15 percent in the past two weeks, after witnessing a 23 percent decrease when the deal was in force. He vowed Türkiye would press ahead with "intensive efforts" and diplomacy to reestablish the agreement.

The two leaders also agreed on Putin's visit to Türkiye, but no timetable was given.

The Turkish president said that "no steps should be taken that will escalate tensions in the Russia-Ukraine war," emphasizing the significance of a grain deal that he called a "bridge for peace."

Both the United Nations and Türkiye have been actively working to revive the grain deal, recognizing its importance in addressing food security concerns and ensuring stable grain prices in the global market.

The economy will be another major topic on the cabinet's agenda. Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, who recently attended a meeting with approximately 50 investors organized by U.S.-based investment bank JP Morgan, will share the outcomes of that meeting with the cabinet members.

Furthermore, the ongoing collective bargaining process concerning civil servants will be discussed during the meeting. Labor and Social Security Minister Vedat Işıkhan will present the expectations of civil servants to the cabinet.

Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has engaged in significant phone calls with his U.S. and Ukrainian counterparts, Antony Blinken and Dmitro Kuleba, respectively, in an effort to extend the crucial grain deal.

According to the Turkish ministry, the phone call was requested by Blinken, during which they discussed the revival of the Black Sea grain initiative and the security of the Black Sea region.

Developments in the South Caucasus, including the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the enlargement of NATO, were also part of their conversation.

During the phone talk with Kuleba, the Turkish top diplomat discussed potential steps to reactivate the crucial deal.