‘Ukraine grain deal must continue without interruptions’

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said that Ankara will strive to ensure that the Black Sea grain deal, mediated by Türkiye and the U.N., will strive to ensure that it is operational without any interruptions.

Speaking in a joint news conference with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, Çavuşoğlu said the deal, recently resumed by Russia, will need to be renewed in 20 days.

For his part, Stoltenberg said Türkiye is an important NATO ally and makes great contributions to the bloc’s mutual security.

“We thank Türkiye for its support to Ukraine,” he said.

Meanwhile, Çavuşoğlu expressed Türkiye is still not convinced about the steps taken by Sweden and Finland. He noted that the two countries have taken some steps regarding Türkiye’s concerns over their NATO membership but the lifting of the arms embargo alone is not enough.

Stoltenberg pushed Ankara to approve the two Nordic countries’ bid to join the bloc, saying that Sweden and Finland have delivered on the demands Türkiye has set for their accession to NATO and time has come to welcome them to the alliance.

“It’s time to welcome Finland and Sweden as full members of NATO,” Stoltenberg said.

“In these dangerous times it is even more important to finalize their accession, to prevent any misunderstanding or miscalculation in Moscow.”