Erdoğan: Türkiye determined to continue grain deal efforts despite Russian hesitancy

Türkiye will continue its efforts for the Black Sea grain export deal despite Russian hesitancy, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Monday after Moscow suspended its participation in the initiative at the weekend.

"Even if Russia behaves hesitantly because it didn't receive the same benefits, we will continue decisively our efforts to serve humanity," Erdoğan said in a speech.

Moscow blamed Kyiv for an attack on its Black Sea fleet and on Saturday pulled out of a deal to allow Ukrainian grain shipments for an "indefinite term".

Russia and Ukraine are among the world's biggest food exporters, and a Russian blockade of Ukrainian grain shipments caused a global food crisis earlier this year.

"As it is known, about one-third of the world wheat production is carried out by Ukraine and Russia. You are the closest witness of our efforts to deliver this wheat to countries facing a threat of starvation.

"With the joint mechanism that we have ensured to be established in Istanbul, we have provided a relative reduction in the food crisis by offering 9.3 million tons of Ukrainian wheat to the service of the world," Erdoğan said at the 8th Turkish Medical World Congress in Istanbul.

Separately, a U.N. spokesperson said the first of 40 planned ship inspections on Monday had been completed in Istanbul waters with a team of just U.N. and Turkish members, rather than the previous four-member teams including Russians and Ukrainians before Moscow's suspension.

Erdoğan's remarks came after Russia on Saturday announced its suspension from the UN-brokered Black Sea grain export deal.

Türkiye, the UN, Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement on July 22 in Istanbul to resume Black Sea grain exports, which were paused after the Russia-Ukraine war began in February. A Joint Coordination Center with officials from the three countries and the UN has been set up in Istanbul to oversee the shipments.

Following Russia's withdrawal, Türkiye said National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar continues to negotiate and coordinate with his counterparts for the resumption of Black Sea grain exports.