Overview
- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he will speak with Vladimir Putin on Monday to discuss Ukraine peace efforts and the resumption of grain exports via the Black Sea.
- He will push to revive the 2022 grain initiative brokered by Turkey and the United Nations, which Russia exited in 2023 citing obstacles to its own exports.
- Erdogan said he intends to raise steps to stop the loss of life during the conversation.
- He plans to brief European leaders and U.S. President Donald Trump on the outcome of the call.
- Turkey has positioned itself as a mediator by keeping ties with both Kyiv and Moscow, hosting talks in Istanbul, and engaging recently with Volodymyr Zelensky as well as the leaders of France and Italy.