President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Friday that he would speak to his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts to address the ongoing conflict and efforts to strengthen the U.N.-backed Black Sea grain deal.
"In order to resolve this crisis, I will have talks with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin on Sunday. Likewise, there will be one with (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy," Erdoğan maintained during the 6th TRT World Forum held in Istanbul.
The president said Türkiye wants to further strengthen the grain corridor deal it helped forge this summer, and "in Putin's words, to send (grain) through this corridor to underdeveloped countries."
Erdoğan was making a speech at the 6th TRT World Forum, which Zelenskyy also addressed via video link.
Through the landmark deal this summer that unblocked grain exports and staved off a food crisis, Ukraine along with Türkiye and the United Nations put "an end to the threat of poverty," Zelenskyy said.
He stressed that the food crisis stemming from the war in Ukraine has been felt worldwide.
"The food crisis that happened this year led to instabilities in the global market. Different countries felt the negative ramifications of the food crisis, starting with some African and Asian countries," he noted.
He also welcomed the efforts of Ukrainian soldiers to keep the nation's ports in the Black Sea open.
"Our brave soldiers fought against Russia, and thanks to our diplomacy, we made sure that deliveries continued from three ports located on the Black Sea," he added.
This accomplishment is thanks to the joint efforts of Türkiye, Ukraine and the United Nations, the president said.
"We put an end to the threat of poverty as we are indeed advocating for our rights and our interests," he added.
On the Ukrainian formula to end "Russian aggression," he said: "Ukraine advocated for international law for the solution to problems."
The grain deal played an "exemplary role," in this regard, Zelenskyy said, adding: "In the grain deal, we have also witnessed the leadership of Türkiye."
The deal brokered by Türkiye and the U.N. in Istanbul in July freed up exports of millions of tons of grain from Ukraine's Black Sea ports that were blocked after Russia launched its invasion on Feb. 24.
Days before its scheduled expiration, the landmark pact was extended for another 120 days, beginning from Nov. 19.
From the very beginning of the crisis, Erdoğan said, Türkiye carried out intense diplomacy with the principle that there will be no winners in the war, adding that Ankara has pioneered peacful diplomacy that will set an example for the world.
"Although the Istanbul process seems to have been interrupted by developments in the field, it remains the ideal negotiation ground for lasting peace," he said.
"While strongly defending Ukraine's territorial integrity, we opposed fueling tension in the region with irrational policies toward Russia," the president added.
