Strong reaction to Erdogan’s call from Ukraine

After President Erdogan’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi yesterday, his statement on resolving the grain crisis, “Ukraine, in particular, needs to soften its approach to take joint steps with Russia here,” sparked a reaction in Kiev.

“Let’s be realistic and stop talking about options that don’t exist,” said Mykhailo Podolyak, a top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Speaking to Reuters about Erdogan’s words, Podolyak said they would not support his policy of concessions to Russia.

Noting that Russia is interested in destroying Ukraine’s granaries and ports, Podolyak also argued that Moscow is not interested in the grain deal, but rather in trying to prevent Ukraine’s exports.

Podolyak “In what area should Ukraine soften up?” Using his remarks, another Ukrainian official said they do not expect the Erdogan-Putin meeting to lead to breakthroughs in the grain corridor crisis.

Russia recently withdrew from the agreement on the Black Sea grain corridor signed last year under the mediation of Turkey and the UN.