Defense Minister Hulusi Akar told his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu that it was crucial for the grain deal to continue and urged him to reconsider the decision, as Moscow announced it was stopping the passage of ships through the Black Sea on Monday.
Continuing the grain initiative, which makes a great contribution to alleviating the global food crisis and shows that all problems can be solved through cooperation and dialogue, carries great importance, Akar Akar told Shoigu over the phone, the Defense Ministry said.
"Russia's decision to suspend the grain shipment initiative, which is a purely humanitarian activity that should be separated from conflict conditions, should be reconsidered," Akar told Shoigu.
Just as it has done so far, said Akar, Türkiye will continue to do its part to ensure peace in the region and to promote the availability of humanitarian aid under the leadership of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Akar's remarks came after Russia on Saturday announced its suspension from the U.N.-brokered Black Sea grain export deal.
Türkiye, the U.N., Russia, and Ukraine signed an agreement on July 22 in Istanbul to resume Black Sea grain exports, which were paused after the Russia-Ukraine war began in February. A Joint Coordination Center with officials from the three countries and the U.N. was set up in Istanbul to oversee the shipments.
Earlier, Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue its efforts to find a solution to the global food crisis, as it has done so far, despite Russia's withdrawal from the deal.
"Although Russia is hesitant in this regard as the same facilities are not provided for itself, we will continue our efforts to serve humanity," he said.
Since Aug. 1, more than 9.2 million tons of grain have been carried by 408 ships under the deal, including wheat, corn, and barley, according to Turkish National Defense Ministry sources.
Meanwhile, the Russian army said it wanted "commitments" from Ukraine not to use the grain exports corridor for military purposes, after an attack on its Crimea fleet led to Moscow's suspension from a deal to export foodstuffs.
"There cannot be a question of guaranteeing the safety of any object in this area until Ukraine makes additional commitments not to use this route for military purposes," the Russian defense ministry said on Telegram.
Russia said on Monday it was "unacceptable" for shipping to pass through a Black Sea security corridor after it suspended its participation in a Turkish- and U.N.-brokered deal that had allowed Ukraine to resume grain exports.
"The movement of ships along the security corridor is unacceptable, since the Ukrainian leadership and the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine use it to conduct military operations against the Russian Federation," the ministry said in a statement.
Ships carrying grain sailed from Ukrainian ports on Monday, suggesting Moscow had stopped short of reimposing a blockade despite suspending its participation in the deal to safely such exports from the war zone.
On the 250th day of the war, Russian missiles rained down across Ukraine. Explosions boomed out in Kyiv, sending black smoke into the sky.
Ukrainian officials said energy infrastructure was hit including at hydro-electric dams, knocking out power, heat and water supplies.
Ukraine's military said it had shot down 44 of 50 Russian missiles. But strikes left 80% of Kyiv without running water, authorities said. Ukrainian police said 13 people were injured in the latest attacks.
Still, the resumption of food exports from Ukrainian ports suggested that the dire prospect of rising world hunger had been averted for now. International officials had feared that Moscow would reimpose a blockade on Ukrainian grain, after Russia announced on Saturday that it was suspending its role in the U.N.-backed programme that escorts cargo ships through the Black Sea.
"Civilian cargo ships can never be a military target or held hostage. The food must flow," tweeted Amir Abdullah, the U.N. official who coordinates the programme.
Shortly afterwards, Ukraine confirmed that 12 ships had set sail. The 354,500 tonnes of grain they carried was the most in a day since the programme began.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv would continue implementing the U.N. programme "as we have agreed" with the United Nations and Turkey.
Chris McGill, head of cargo at Lloyd's of London insurer Ascot, which has underwritten many of the shipments so far, told Reuters his company was pausing writing new cover for shipments from Monday until it understood the situation better.
Insurance previously issued "still stands", he said.
