ISTANBUL, August 10. /TASS/. The Turkish Ministry of National Defense together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains discussions with representatives of the UN, Russia, and Ukraine in order to resume the grain deal, a military department representative said, according to TRT TV channel.

"Our contacts aimed at continuing the Black Sea grain initiative, the implementation of which has been suspended by the Russian Federation, continue in coordination with the Foreign Ministry," TRT TV channel quoted Turkish Defense Ministry official.

Earlier, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Turkey, which is scheduled for late August. The date of the trip will be agreed upon via diplomatic channels, he said. Local media outlets suggest that the visit will take place on August 28-31.

The grain deal was terminated on July 17. Speaking at the Russia-Africa Summit, Putin said that Moscow had agreed to participate in the deal given, among other factors, the initial linked obligations for the Western parties to the deal to remove illegitimate obstacles to Russian exports of grain and fertilizers to world markets, but noted that not one of the relevant provisions was ever actually implemented.