Russian President Vladimir Putin (proper) listens to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan throughout their assembly at Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi, Monday.

Sergei Guneyev/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool Photo by way of AP

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Sergei Guneyev/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool Photo by way of AP

Russian President Vladimir Putin (proper) listens to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan throughout their assembly at Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi, Monday.

Sergei Guneyev/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool Photo by way of AP

MOSCOW — In intently watched talks within the southern Russian resort metropolis of Sochi, Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected efforts by his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to revive a United Nations-backed deal to permit the secure passage of grain from Ukraine — the newest setback within the grain deal since Moscow exited it in July.

In a information convention on the conclusion of the one-day summit on Monday, Putin recycled a litany of complaints concerning the U.N. deal, arguing the settlement helped Ukraine export its grain however repeatedly didn’t dwell as much as guarantees to ease Russia’s agriculture commerce.

“As often happens with our Western partners, they cheated us,” Putin stated.

The Kremlin chief instructed Erdogan that Russia was open to restarting the grain deal — however solely as soon as Western-imposed restrictions on banking and logistics have been lifted.

“We’re not against the deal. We’re ready to rejoin immediately, but only once the promises made to us have been fulfilled,” added the Russian chief.

Putin additionally repeated one other acquainted Russian trope: that the Ukraine grain deal largely benefited wealthier nations.

Erdogan appeared to reject that notion — saying the grain deal had certainly benefited poorer nations — and he expressed hope Russia would finally rejoin the settlement he had helped craft.

“As Turkey, we believe that we will reach a solution that will meet the expectations in a short time,” Erdogan stated.

Since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine started in February 2022, Russia has imposed a de facto blockade on Black Sea delivery, leaving business vessels unwilling to enter Ukrainian ports. But in July final yr, the U.N. and Turkey brokered an association formally referred to as the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which enabled Ukraine’s wheat and different farm items to go again to world markets.

The U.N. famous the initiative allowed almost 33 million metric tons (36 million tons) of grain and different commodities to depart three Ukrainian ports safely regardless of the battle.

U.N. officers say they’ve repeatedly tried to assuage Moscow’s issues — even providing “concrete proposals” forward of the Erdogan talks.

With the grain deal remaining in limbo, the Turkish chief indicated his nation was prepared to assist Russia transfer ahead with a humanitarian initiative to offer free grain to six African countries — most of them Kremlin allies.

Since exiting the U.N. settlement, Moscow has taken to repeatedly attacking Ukraine’s grain services in an obvious bid to additional intestine the nation’s agricultural economic system.

Indeed, Russia launched missile strikes on grain shops within the Odesa area close to Ukraine’s border with NATO ally Romania, only a day earlier than Erdogan’s arrival.

Russia has additionally threatened to fireplace on business ships trying to avoid a Russian blockade — calling them reputable navy targets.

In his assertion, Putin accused Ukraine of abusing the grain deal’s humanitarian delivery hall to strike civilian infrastructure — an obvious reference to repeated Ukrainian assaults on a key bridge linking the Russian mainland to Crimea.

Ukraine argues it revered the humanitarian hall however that the bridge itself stays a reputable goal given its position in supplying Russian forces working in southern Ukraine.