Putin, Erdogan Discuss Grain Deal Alternatives, Hail ‘New Phase' of Relations

As the Russia-Ukraine grain deal remains in limbo, Turkish President Erdogan travels to Sochi for talks with his Russian counterpart.

Russian President Vladimir Putin greets his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan before their talks in Sochi, Russia, on Sept. 4, 2023. Alexey Nikolsky/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

The leaders of Turkey and Russia met on Sept. 4 in Russia’s southern city of Sochi, where they discussed regional developments, bilateral ties, and the stalled Black Sea Grain Initiative.

There had been hopes that the meeting would yield a breakthrough regarding the stalled Russia–Ukraine grain deal. But, due to complex geopolitical circumstances, these hopes failed to materialize.