Gelisim News

"Black Sea Grain Initiative" strengthens Türkiye's position as an international actor

On May 10–11 in Istanbul, four-party talks between Ukraine, the Russian Federation, the United Nations, and Türkiye came to an end. Asst. Prof. Dr. Bahlul ALIYEV from the Faculty of Applied Sciences at Istanbul Gelisim University evaluated the situation and stressed the relevance of the talks on a regional and worldwide level, noting that Türkiye's importance as a global player is growing daily.

“Türkiye make global food crısıs stopped”

The grain crisis, which was sparked by the outbreak of the Ukraine-Russian conflict and Russia's invasion of Ukraine's Black Sea coast, could result in a global food shortage. According to Dr. Aliyev, "27 million tons of grain stuck in Ukrainian ports caused global concern, however Russian initiatives were rejected." The Republic of Türkiye was convinced to build a corridor for the shipment of grain under the supervision of the Joint Coordination Center created in Istanbul as part of the agreement negotiated between the Republic of Türkiye and the UN thanks to Türkiye's initiatives. In this situation, Türkiye contributed to stop the severe worldwide food crisis.

“Grain embargo is significant winning tool for Russia”

Dr. Aliyev stated that the grain stuck in Ukrainian ports is a pressure tool for Russia against the West and continued his words as follow: “Russia actually delayed using an important trump card by allowing the shipment of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea with the agreement reached on July 22, 2022. While this contributes to the reliable image of Türkiye, it also increases its global significance. While the grain problem could be a serious trump card for Russia against the West, a corridor was opened to the world thanks to Türkiye's initiatives. It served to keep food prices stable for a long time.”

“Türkiye is key actor in agreements”

Aliyev remarked the following: "The Istanbul negotiations are once more encouraging. In actuality, the agreement was extended by 60 days from its original expiration date of March 18, 2023. This indicates that the agreement will end on May 18. The Turkish side's actions led to the decision that the discussions held in Turkiye were productive and would continue in a four-way format. Naturally, the Russian side has some requests as well, and making a decision in such a difficult circumstance would not be simple. The topic is examined not only from a humanist standpoint but also from a tactical one. When all of them are considered, Türkiye once again appears as a major player.’’