Strategic expert discusses grain corridor solution benefiting UN, NATO, and Turkey

He shared this idea on Espreso.

"I have a proposal for addressing the Black Sea grain corridor problem. It involves NATO and Turkey reaching an agreement to conduct a peacekeeping convoy operation for the benefit of African and Asian countries. Turkey would temporarily suspend the Montreux Convention (which granted Turkey control over the straits from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean in 1936) for this specific NATO group. Importantly, this group would operate solely to ensure shipping safety, not in the interests of Ukraine or Russia. This arrangement could offer advantages to NATO, the UN, and Turkey," explained the retired Navy Captain.

Andriy Ryzhenko also noted that challenges often arise during the implementation of such decisions.

What we know about the meeting between Erdogan and Putin

On July 16, the last shipment of Ukrainian agricultural products under the grain initiative left the Odesa port. Russia subsequently announced the termination of the "grain agreement" on July 17. In response, Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed the need to continue using the grain corridor despite Russia's withdrawal from the agreement.

On August 2, it was reported that South African countries are working to persuade Russia to reengage in negotiations regarding the safe export of grain from Black Sea ports, which Russia had abandoned the previous month.

On August 9, President Erdogan expressed his intention to reinstate the grain agreement on a larger scale and urged Western nations to fulfill their commitments.

Ihor Semyvolos suggested that the outcome of the Erdogan-Putin meeting could involve Russia returning to the "grain deal."

On August 18, it was reported that Russia, Turkey, and Qatar were allegedly working on a new grain agreement without Ukraine.

By August 20, Turkey had been actively striving to reinstate the export of agricultural products from Ukraine, as the termination of the "grain deal" had global consequences, leading to a 15% increase in grain prices worldwide.

On August 29, Erdogan's party confirmed his meeting with Putin in Sochi.

On August 31, ahead of the Erdogan-Putin meeting, the foreign affairs ministers of Turkey and Russia met in Moscow to discuss the "grain agreement" and peace in Ukraine.

By September 3, it was reported that one of the topics Erdogan and Putin planned to discuss was the exchange of prisoners of war.

On September 4, following the meeting with Putin, Erdogan expressed hope that they could reach an agreement on the Black Sea grain initiative quickly.