Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday that Russia is actively studying Türkiye’s proposal to organize peace talks with Ukraine and revive the grain export agreement. In an interview with RIA, Lavrov praised Türkiye’s commitment, highlighting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s personal efforts toward peace in Ukraine.

Lavrov noted that Türkiye previously facilitated drafting the only peace treaty between Russia and Ukraine and agreements to enable grain exports from Ukraine via the Black Sea—later called the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Lavrov mentioned that Kyiv had not finalized the peace treaty and used the corridor for attacks on Russian vessels and coastal infrastructure.

Lavrov further pointed out that Russia’s part of the deal, which aimed to open global markets for Russian agricultural products, remains unfulfilled. “President Vladimir Putin affirmed at the BRICS summit in Kazan that Russia is open to further talks on Black Sea navigation,” he added, mentioning that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres supports such discussions.

Türkiye hosted the first meeting between Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers in Antalya in March 2022. These efforts led to the historic Black Sea grain deal, though Moscow withdrew from the agreement in July 2023 due to restrictions on its grain exports.