Statement by Minister Fidan on the Black Sea Grains Initiative

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke at a joint press conference ahead of his meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba in Kiev, where he is on his official visit.

Fidan stated that today’s visit was his first visit to Ukraine and Kiev as Foreign Minister and said that after President Erdogan’s visit to Lviv in August 2022, it was Ankara’s first high-level visit to Ukraine.

Fidan stated that he celebrated Ukraine’s independence day, which was yesterday, with his sincerest wishes. Reiterating Turkey’s support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, Fidan offered his condolences to those who lost their lives in the war.

“WE FOLLOW THE ISSUES WE ACCEPT”

Recalling that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited Turkey at the invitation of President Erdogan on July 7, Fidan said: “On this visit, our leaders discussed in detail all issues at the regional and bilateral levels. Today we had the opportunity to follow up on the issues agreed upon by our Presidents”. saying.

Fidan said that he began his visit to Kiev with the acceptance of Ukraine’s President Zelenskiy and then met with the head of the presidential office, Andriy Yermak, and discussed the issues in more detail.

Fidan noted that they also met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmigal and discussed economic and development issues in detail, and that he also visited the National Anti-Corruption Agency of Ukraine and received a briefing there.

Fidan affirmed that they will consult in depth with their colleague Kuleba on the issues on their agenda, and that they will discuss the steps that can be taken in the future within the framework of the strategic partnership between the two countries.

“WE CONTINUE OUR EFFORT”

Minister Fidan said that thanks to the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which was implemented under the mediation of Turkey and the United Nations and ended on July 17, more than 33 million tons of grains and food products were delivered to the markets. world.

“Unfortunately, as of July 17, this (Black Sea Grain Initiative) ended. We know that alternative ways are currently being sought for the export of cereals. However, we also see that these pathways cannot be an alternative to the original initiative and contain risks. We continue our efforts to revive the process as soon as possible before the gains made by the Black Sea Initiative are lost. That is why we will continue to dialogue with all parties at all levels.”

Underlining that Turkey unswervingly demonstrated its support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity after Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, Fidan claimed that it had shown the same stance after February 24, 2022.

Fidan stated that they will discuss all aspects of bilateral relations between Turkey and Ukraine in their meeting with Kuleba, saying: “Our relations with our strategic partner Ukraine continue to develop despite the war. We will continue our efforts to ensure that our economic relations are minimally damaged by the tests of war.” he used his statements.

Noting that their meetings in Kiev today, Fidan mainly discussed how they can support the Crimean Tatar Turks, who are a bridge between the two countries, Fidan said: “The Zelenskiy government has taken important steps to strengthen the rights of the Crimean inhabitants. Tatar Turks. We thank Ukraine for this.” saying.

Fidan stated that President Erdoğan sent a video message to the Crimean Platform Summit held in Kiev two days ago, and that Ambassador Akif Çağatay Kılıç, Senior Advisor to the President, attended the summit on behalf of Turkey. Numan Kurtulmus is expected to attend.

“WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT UKRAINE”

Emphasizing that Turkey will always support Ukraine, Fidan said: “We will continue to support the physical resurrection of Ukraine, especially by reviving it. I believe that our main contractor companies will leave their mark on the reconstruction of Ukraine. We will continue our high-level contacts in the coming period to further strengthen our cooperation with Ukraine.” saying. Fidan also expressed that he hopes that his colleague Kuleba will come to Turkey at the most appropriate time.

“THE REACTIVATION OF THIS INITIATIVE IS A PRIORITY FOR Türkiye”

Responding to the AA journalist’s question about efforts to revive the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Fidan said: “Reviving this initiative is a priority for Turkey. This initiative holds a special place for global food security and humanitarian efforts. Our President is doing very systematic work on this issue. On this occasion, there is an uninterrupted conversation and brainstorming with a very large group that includes Ukraine, the UN, Russia, European actors and some Americans. Our work on this issue will continue. I hope we get a successful result. I would also like to thank our Ukrainian friends for their constructive support on this matter.” he used his statements.

Minister Fidan was also asked at the press conference about Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian ports.

Fidan stressed that it is not possible for Turkey to condone shelling of ports and vehicles that play a key role in transporting grain, saying: “That is exactly why we always think that Russia should be brought back into the equation.” . We always predicted that we would find similar scenes in a workaround, where Russia is not in the equation. We also share it with our friends. That is why we will continue our diplomatic efforts,” he said. (BRITISH AUTOMOBILE CLUB)