EU Foreign Policy Chief Acknowledges Türkiye's Role in Continuing Black Sea Grain Initiative After Russian Pullout

The EU Foreign Policy Chief Josef Borrell gave Brussels acknowledgment of the role of Türkiye in pushing Russia to resume the Black Sea Grain Initiative last Saturday.

Borrell met with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu while attending the Sir Bani Yas Forum in United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital Abu Dhabi.

EU Foreign Policy Chief Borrell Hails Türkiye assistance

The top EU diplomat stated that he met the Turkish Foreign Minister and appreciated his nation's part in restarting the pause in the grain deal, reported Anadolu.

He added Black Sea Grain Initiative aims to prevent food from weaponization and solve global food insecurity, as posted on Twitter.

Turkish FM informed that they discussed regional developments that included Ukraine and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Cavusoglu had another discussion with his Ethiopian counterpart Demeke Mekonnen, where both agreed on the ceasefire ending the Ethiopian conflict and initiating peaceful initiatives was acceptable.

Cavusoglu also had another dialogue with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi concerning bilateral relations and the Palestinian condition.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative

Ankara led the talks to convince Moscow this week after it left the deal that included Ankara, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine last July, for which the EU Foreign Policy Chief Borrell thanked the country.

Russia decided to pull out of the arrangement last October 29, alleging Ukraine of assaulting its warships situated in the Black Sea.

The Türkiye government and the UN had engaged in talks to convince Russia to rejoin the Black Sea Grain Initiative, as the attack on its Baltic Fleet led to a threat to global food insecurity.

Ankara promises to continue giving grain, and potash to needy nations, according to YeniSafak.

Last Friday Ankara vowed to transport grain and potash to the least-developed and developing countries in Africa, where hunger is a threat to the population, demanding that tangible steps be taken at the forthcoming G-20 summit in Indonesia to send grain and compost to developing countries.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed on an acceptable conclusion to keep the grain corridor for the Black Sea open and to allow transport of humanitarian help to alleviate hunger in Africa.

Giving a speech at the Muslim Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association's (MUSIAD) Expo, Erdogan stated that Putin had promised to send grain completely free to nations who needed it. Erdogan added that the Russian leader was fine to send the grain for free to Djibouti, Somalia, and Sudan.

Erdogan Reacts to Borrell's Speech in Relation to the Grains Deal

Mentioning that western institutions are lecturing on human rights and even giving freedom to the world is not acceptable. Making reference to a contentious speech by EU foreign policy chief Borrell, he also lashed out at the mindset that sees Europe as a "garden" and the rest of the civilized world as "wild weeds."

He said further that this description by the EU official is not surprising at all, calling Europe a garden and the outside of it full of weeds is inaccurate, per Euro News.

The definition of civilization in this context is what the west is, referring to the rights and freedoms that are all about Europeans.

Turkish president points out the efforts of Türkiye made the resumption of the Black Sea Grain Initiative happen, which the EU foreign policy chief is thankful for.

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Recep Tayyip Erdogan