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ANKARA. – Turkey has urged Russia to work with the UN on opening a grain corridor through the Black Sea to address the global food crisis, caused by the war in Ukraine.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with both Russia and Ukraine’s leaders on Monday, in Ankara’s latest effort to mediate the dispute over Ukrainian grain.

Turkey has taken on a mediating role between Moscow and Kyiv since Russia started its military operation on February 24. Representatives of both sides of the conflict last met for talks in Istanbul in March.

Erdogan urged Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to establish a UN-backed corridor for Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea, Turkish state-owned media Anadolu news agency reported.

The Kremlin released a statement on the phone call between Mr Erdogan and Mr Putin, saying that there was “An exchange of views on the situation around Ukraine continued, including in the context of coordinating efforts to ensure the safety of navigation in the Black Sea and grain exports to global markets.”

Ukraine is one of the world’s biggest producers of grain, making up nearly a fifth of all the country’s exports, according to official data.

But since the start of the conflict, Ukraine has been unable to use its seaports, the main export avenue. It has only been able to send abroad around a third of the grain it would have at the same time this year.

The diminished supply of Ukrainian grain has helped to drive global food prices to record highs, fuelling concerns about future food security.

In a tweet, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appreciated Turkey’s support and said: “Discussed the importance of unblocking Ukrainian ports and resuming grain exports.” – Reuters