Turkey's Erdogan to host Putin, hopes for Black Sea grain deal extension

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala make statements to the press after their meeting in Prague, Czech Republic, July 7, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.

ISTANBUL (Reuters) -Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that he was pressing Russia to extend a Black Sea grain deal by at least three months and announced a visit by President Vladimir Putin in August.

He was speaking at a joint news conference with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy after the two parties met to discuss the fate of an arrangement, brokered last year by Turkey and the United Nations, to allow for the safe export of grain from Ukrainian ports via the Black Sea despite the war.