A meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin is planned to take place in the Russian resort city of Sochi on Sept. 4, Russian state-run news agency TASS reported on Thursday, citing a Turkish diplomat.
“For the time being, the meeting is scheduled to take place on September 4,” the diplomat, who spoke anonymously, said.
Ankara has not yet announced the official date for Erdoğan’s arrival in Russia. Earlier, a diplomat told TASS that Erdoğan and Putin may meet in Sochi on Sept. 4.
On Wednesday Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin would soon announce exactly when Erdoğan will visit Russia.
The two leaders are expected to focus on the Black Sea grain deal, with Ankara seeking to extend the agreement in its previous form, and the Ukraine crisis. Turkey has repeatedly offered its mediation services on the latter issue.
The deal, brokered by Turkey and the United Nations in July 2022 to help alleviate a global food crisis, allowed grain shipments from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.
However, Moscow quit the deal last month, complaining that an accompanying agreement to facilitate Russia’s own grain and fertilizer exports was not being implemented.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is also paying a visit to Moscow Aug. 31-Sept. 1, according to a statement from the Turkish foreign ministry on Wednesday. Fidan is expected to discuss preparation for Erdoğan’s visit during his visit and have talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.