Turkey's foreign minister Hakan Fidan met with the Ukrainian president on Friday in a rare visit, the two countries announced.Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the meeting on Telegram, saying he mentioned the “risks posed by the Russian blockade of the grain corridor in the Black Sea”.Russia withdrew from an agreement in July that allowed Ukraine to export millions of tonnes of cereals by sea, despite the fighting.
Moscow has in recent weeks carried out a series of strikes on Ukrainian port infrastructure in Odesa and on the Danube River, hamstringing Kyiv's ability to send crops overseas.Ukraine is looking for partners to boost its exports, including via the Black Sea in spite of the newly reinstated Russian blockade.
Kyiv recently challenged Moscow with the voyage of a cargo ship flying the Hong Kong flag, which was not attacked by Russia despite its threats.Several attacks by Ukraine on Russian ships, including an oil tanker, have been reported in the Black Sea recently.
Turkey has long acted as a mediator between the two warring parties, helping broker the grain agreement later abandoned by Russia.