Erdogan, Putin May Soon Hold Telephone Conversation to Discuss Grain Deal

ANKARA (Sputnik) - Telephone conversations between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin could take place in the near future, but there is no specific date for the negotiations yet, a source in Erdogan's administration told Sputnik, adding that the leaders will discuss the grain deal.

Last Monday, Putin and Erdogan met in the Russian city of Sochi to discuss the situation around the grain deal and other issues.

"Mr. President [Erdogan] intends to discuss with the respected Russian leader the results of his negotiations on the grain deal with Western leaders at the G20 summit in India to move the process forward. Therefore, it is not excluded that in the near future, the leaders [of Turkiye and Russia] will hold telephone negotiations. But there is no specific date yet," the source said.

The source added that Erdogan's talks with Western leaders on the sidelines of the G20 summit on the grain deal were constructive, but concrete action is needed to restart the Black Sea grain initiative. The source also noted that Ankara continues to work with the United Nations.