The presidents of Turkey and Russia, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin, announced that the focus of their conversation today in Sochi will be negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine, the agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain, the situation in Syria and the strengthening of economic ties between Moscow and Ankara.
Erdogan said at the start of the meeting at Putin's residence on the Black Sea in Sochi that their talks would help "to highlight the role that Turkey and Russia play in the region."
He assessed the negotiations as crucial and said that the rest of the world is watching carefully how they will unfold.
"Today, of course, the eyes of the world are on Sochi. They are following it, wondering what is being discussed and done in Sochi," Erdogan said.
Putin thanked Erdogan for his help in negotiating the grain agreements, noting their importance to many countries around the world that depend on Russian and Ukrainian exports.
"It is an acute issue for many developing countries, which face major problems with food and fertilizer," he said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the talks in Sochi would allow Putin and Erdogan to discuss the implementation of the grain agreement.
The implementation of the agreement from Istanbul is monitored by officials of Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the UN, and grain shipments are accompanied by Ukrainian ships in order to safely overcome the threat of explosive mines in the Black Sea.
Putin welcomed the energy cooperation between Russia and Turkey, emphasizing the importance of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline, which delivers Russian gas to Turkey and southern Europe via the Black Sea.
"European partners should be grateful to Turkey for ensuring smooth transit of our gas to European markets," Putin said.
The Russian president noted that Russian-Turkish trade doubled in the first five months of this year compared to the same period last year.
The increase reflects Moscow's increasing focus on ties with Ankara as it faces harsh Western sanctions.
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