ANKARA, 1 February – RIA Novosti. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he continues to work with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on the distribution of free food and possibly fertilizer to countries in need.

Erdogan said earlier that he had agreed with the President of the Russian Federation to send Russian grain and fertilizers to the starving countries of Africa free of charge. In early September last year, Putin pointed out that the West exports most of the Ukrainian grain to its own provinces, not to needy countries in Africa. He noted that Moscow is ready to provide the poorest countries free of charge with the entire volume of grain allocated to them under the grain agreement.

“We have an agreement with Mr. Putin. He told me that he is ready to send me free grain. Because Europe bought most of the grain, about 44 percent, maybe even 46 percent, in the first stage. We are ready to make this grain flour and send it to the countries in need. We also supply fertilizers. possible,” he said.

The grain agreement, signed on July 22 by representatives of Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the UN, includes the export of grain, food and fertilizer to the Black Sea from Ukraine’s three ports, including Odessa. The contract expired on November 18, but was automatically extended by 120 days if there was no objection from the parties. The agreement itself is an integral part of the package deal, which, among other things, provides for the removal of the barrier to Russia’s exports of food and fertilizers – this is precisely what Moscow noted that has not been fulfilled. At the same time, assurances came from the UN that restrictions would be lifted.