UPDATES WITH STATEMENT BY KREMLIN
By Ahmet Gencturk and Elena Teslova
ANKARA / MOSCOW (AA) - Türkiye’s president and his Russian counterpart discussed the establishment of safe corridors for grain exports in the Black Sea and the latest developments in northern Syria, the Turkish Communications Directorate said on Monday.
During their phone call, Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized the importance of extending the cross-border aid mechanism in Syria, the directorate said in a statement.
He also told Vladimir Putin that it is time to take action regarding the UN’s plan to establish safe corridors in the Black Sea for grain exports.
Furthermore, Erdogan reiterated that the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine should be ended with a lasting and just peace through negotiations.
Türkiye is ready to contribute to the negotiation process, the president added.
In a separate statement, the Kremlin said the two leaders discussed the issues "of mutual interest" that will be on the agenda of a Russia-Türkiye summit that will take place "in the near future."
"Particular attention was paid to the tasks of further enhancing economic cooperation, including measures to improve its legal framework, increasing trade volumes and using national currencies in payments, as well as continuing uninterrupted supplies of Russian energy resources," the statement said.
Putin and Erdogan agreed on close cooperation in these areas at the level of the co-chairs of the bilateral intergovernmental commission and the heads of relevant departments.
Putin and Erdogan also exchanged views on the situation around Ukraine, including coordinating efforts to ensure the safety of navigation in the Black Sea and grain exports to world markets, the statement said.
Discussing the issue of the Syrian settlement, the Russian and Turkish presidents stressed the importance of trilateral joint work within the framework of the Astana process.
The Astana peace process was launched in January 2017 at the initiative of Türkiye, Russia, and Iran. Its meetings also contribute to the advancement of the UN-led diplomatic process in Geneva.
Putin also extended his greetings to Erdogan and all Turkish people on the occasion of Eid al-Adha (the Feast of the Sacrifice).