Lavrov discusses Ukrainian grain export deal with Turkish counterpart

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed on Wednesday with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlüt Çavusoglu, the future of the Ukrainian grain export agreement and its link to the export of Russian agricultural products, as well as bilateral cooperation between Moscow and Ankara. 

"The continuation of the grain agreement will only be possible if the interests of agricultural and fertiliser producers are taken into account in terms of their unrestricted access to the international market," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on the meeting between the two diplomats on the sidelines of the G20. 

According to the Russian diplomacy, the ministers also exchanged views on cooperation between Moscow and Ankara in the trade and economic sphere. 

In particular, they discussed measures to help Turkey after the earthquake that struck the southeast of the country in early February. 

In addition, Lavrov and Çavusoglu discussed a range of international issues, including the conflict in Syria. 

"Special attention was devoted to the work of interested countries in the region to bring about the normalisation of Turkish-Syrian relations and at the same time on increasing joint efforts to eliminate terrorist threats in Syria," the Foreign Ministry said. 

The heads of Russian and Turkish diplomacy also discussed future meetings between representatives of the two countries "at various levels", the Foreign Ministry concluded. 

Russia has threatened to withdraw its support for the grain export pact, which expires on 18 March, if sanctions on Russian trade in agricultural products are not lifted, a demand Moscow links directly to the deal. 

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin stated in mid-February that 'without tangible results in the implementation of the Russia-UN memorandum, the conception of the Istanbul package of agreements and the very prolongation of the Ukrainian document are not desirable'.