MOSCOW, June 21. /TASS/. Russia’s Defense Ministry will engage in consultations with Turkey on creating a safe corridor for Ukrainian grain exports, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.
When asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin planned to receive Turkey’s delegation, Peskov answered in the negative, adding that "it will involve the Defense Ministry."
The A Haber TV channel reported earlier on Tuesday, citing a source in the Turkish presidential office, that a delegation of the country’s Defense Ministry planned to visit Russia later in the week to discuss the establishment of a safe corridor for the export of Ukrainian agricultural products.
The TRT TV channel said last week that Turkey, Russia and Ukraine had set up an emergency communication channel between their defense ministries with regard to the export of grain from Ukrainian ports.
The creation of "a grain corridor" was discussed at a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara on June 8. Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed out earlier that Moscow was ready to provide an unhindered passage to ships carrying Ukrainian grain provided Kiev cleared its ports of mines, and also could ensure exports through ports controlled by Russia, namely Berdyansk and Mariupol. He also noted that problems on the global food market had begun back in February 2020. Putin dismissed statements that Russia was allegedly blocking grain in Ukrainian ports as mere bluffing. The Turkish authorities, in turn, said that they could provide security guarantees in terms of Ukrainian grain exports via the Black Sea. TRT reported last week, citing sources in the Turkish presidential administration, that a mechanism to implement a roadmap for Ukrainian grain exports could be launched shortly.