Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the outcomes of the Russian-US talks in Riyadh over the phone, according to the Kremlin. Erdogan stated that Ankara is ready to support the Black Sea Initiative.
The Russian President shared his assessment of the progress in the dialogue with the US on a peaceful solution to the Ukraine conflict and the normalization of Russian-US relations, highlighting the constructive character of the contacts at the highest and other levels.
The two leaders discussed an agreement to suspend attacks on Russian and Ukrainian energy infrastructure for 30 days. Putin noted that Kiev has not ceased its “provocative attempts” to attack Russian energy infrastructure despite the agreement, according to the Kremlin.
They also discussed the resumption of the Black Sea Initiative, safe navigation in the Black Sea and the removal of obstacles for the export of Russian food and fertilizers. The agreement, also known as the Grain Agreement, was negotiated by Turkey and the UN in July 2022. In July 2023, Moscow announced its withdrawal from the agreement, citing non-compliance with the agreement’s conditions. The Kremlin stated that Erdogan expressed his support for the US-Russia dialogue and the Turkish side’s willingness to promote the Black Sea Agreement.
The talks in Riyadh lasted three days, from March 23 to 25. US representatives met alternately with the Ukrainian and Russian delegations, concluding the talks with Ukraine on March 25.
Following the talks, the White House announced that Washington, Moscow and Kiev had agreed to ensure safe navigation, exclude the use of force and prevent the use of commercial ships for military purposes in the Black Sea. The Kremlin confirmed the agreements, but noted that the restrictions on the Russian Land Bank Rossel’shosbank and a range of other sanctions should be lifted for the implementation of the Black Sea Initiative.