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Transcript/ScriptTURKEY UKRAINE GRAIN DEAL
HEADLINE: Turkey Turns Up Pressure on Russia Over Grain Deal
TEASER: Russian says it will extend agreement if international sanctions on its fertilizer, grain are eased to allow export
PUBLISHED AT: (7/12/23 & 12:39p)
BYLINE: Dorian Jones
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Istanbul
VIDEOGRAPHER: Berke Bas DO NOT USE NAME FOR SECURITY REASONS, Agency
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: LR,SV
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA original, Reuters
PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __
TRT: 3:03
VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath
TYPE: TVPKG
UPDATE: DO NOT USE BERKE BAS NAME FOR SECURITY REASONS.))
((INTRO))
[[The future of a Russia-Ukraine agreement to export Ukrainian grain to world markets is again in doubt, as Moscow threatens to not renew it after it expires on Monday. As Dorian Jones in Istanbul reports, Turkey – a broker of that agreement - is stepping up pressure on Moscow amid concerns of a global food crisis.]]
((NARRATOR))
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week, pledged his determination to secure a new extension to the Russian Ukrainian grain deal, which the United Nations and Turkey brokered last year.
((Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish President - MALE IN TURKISH))
“I hope that the period of the initiative, which has delivered nearly 33 million tons of grain to the people in need so far, like a windpipe from the Turkish straits to the world, will be extended again on July 17th.”
[[RADIO VERSION: Erdogan said he hopes the initiative, which has delivered 33 million tons of grain to people who need it as a lifeline, will be extended on July 17th.]]
((NARRATOR))
With Ukraine a major grain supplier, the grain deal has helped to avert a surge in global food prices. But the agreement needs to be renewed every 60 days. Moscow says it will
only agree to another extension if international sanctions are eased to allow the export of Russian grain and fertilizer.
[[RADIO VERSION: Zaur Gasimov is a professor of history and a specialist on Russia at Bonn University.]]
(Zaur Gasimov, Bonn University Russia Specialist - MALE IN ENGLISH))
“Russia is eager to get some more niches to omit the sanction regime for some parts of its economy, for some banks which are connected or related to the agricultural sector, and it is really very eager to smooth or to soften the sanctioning of its economy.”
((NARRATOR))
Despite international pressure, Erdogan has maintained close ties with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, and has refused to enforce Western sanctions against Russia. Turkish officials say their relations with Moscow allowed Ankara to broker the grain agreement and warn of the danger of a food crisis if the deal is not extended.
[[RADIO VERSION: Mesut Casin is a presidential adviser at Istanbul’s Yeditepe University.]]
((Mesut Casin, Turkish Presidential Adviser, MALE IN English))
“This is very important, for global food prices will spike again. It is very important not only for Turkey and NATO [but for] the other countries. World grain prices will jump.”
((NARRATOR))
Turkey's release Saturday of Ukrainian commanders held as part of a prisoner swap infuriated Moscow. The soldiers were supposed to stay in Turkey until the end of the war as part of the deal brokered by Turkey between Ukraine and Russia. Erdogan is also voicing support for Ukraine's bid to join NATO.
By doing that, analysts say, Ankara is sending a warning to Moscow over the grain deal.
((REST OPT))
[[RADIO VERSION: Yoruk Isik is a geopolitical analyst in Istanbul with the Washington-based Middle East Institute.]]
((Yoruk Isik, Political Analyst - MALE ENGLISH - VOA)) ((Zoom))
“Turkey really wants the grain deal to continue, and the signals coming from Russia [are] that the grain deal is coming to an end. So here, they [Turkish officials] decided
before Russians take any more action to really end this grain deal, Turkey is sending a signal that there are many things depending on Turkey, including Turkey not joining any so far, in any sanctions against Russia.”
((VIDEO SHOT: grain ships-original))
((NARRATOR))
For Erdogan, the grain deal was a diplomatic triumph. If Moscow ends it, observers say there may be questions of how strong a broker he really is.
((Dorian Jones, for VOA News, Istanbul)
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)
Istanbul
Embargo DateJuly 12, 2023 16:04 EDT
Byline
Dorian Jones, for VOA News
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
