Turkey can help in Russia-Ukraine 'observation mechanism', Erdoğan tells Putin

Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday that Ankara is ready to take on a role in an "observation mechanism" between Moscow, Kyiv and the United Nations, if an agreement is reached in that regard.

In a phone call, Erdoğan told Putin that peace needs to be established as soon as possible and confidence-building steps need to be taken on the conflict in Ukraine, the president's office said in a readout.

There was no reference to food in the readout. But last week a senior Turkish official told Reuters that Turkey is negotiating with Russia and Ukraine about opening a sea corridor for grain exports from Ukraine.

Also touching on developments in Syria, where attacks by the terror group YPG/PKK on civilians and neighboring Turkey continue, the Turkish president stressed that the regions along the border liberated from terrorists must be made safe and secure.

Russian leader, for his part, told Erdoğan that Russia may export significant volumes of fertilizers and food in case the sanctions on his country are lifted, according to the Russian media.

He also said that Russia is ready to facilitate unhindered sea transit of cargoes, including grains from Ukrainian ports.