During his visit, Putin met the presidents of Turkey and Iran. The meeting between the leaders, who are on good terms, also included an irritated moment when Putin had to wait for Erdoğan at a press conference.
20.7.•Updated 20.7.
the president of Russia Vladimir Putin The visit to Iran did not bring a solution to Ukraine’s grain export dispute. However, according to Putin, some progress has been made.
Ukraine’s grain exports have stopped because Russia has blockaded the country’s ports. Western sanctions have stopped the grain trade in Russia. Ukraine and Russia are among the world’s largest grain exporters.
– Not all issues have been resolved yet, but it is already good that there is movement, Putin said, according to the Reuters news agency.
During his visit, Putin met the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the president of Iran Ebrahim Raisin. In addition to grain exports, Turkey’s desire to gain support for its intention to attack Syria was on the agenda.
Turkey has acted as an intermediary to reopen grain transport from Ukraine, as the country has good relations with both Russia and Ukraine. Putin thanked Erdoğan for acting as a mediator.
Putin said in Tehran that Russia will facilitate the export of grain from Ukraine only if it benefits itself.
– We will make it easier for Ukrainians to export grain if the export restrictions on air transport of Russian grain are removed, Putin said, according to the AFP news agency.
The decline in grain exports is causing great concern around the world. It is feared that it will lead to famine and unrest, especially in Africa and the Middle East.
High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell warned earlier this week that the stalemate in grain exports is a matter of life and death for many people.
Turkey’s attack on Syria is viewed with skepticism
Another of the main topics of the meeting was Turkey’s plan to attack Syria. Turkey wants Russia and Iran to approve its operation, which aims to seize a 30-kilometer-wide “safe zone” in northern Syria against Syrian Kurdish fighters.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that his country expects the support of Russia and Iran “in the fight against terrorism”. However, the backlash seems to be minimal: both the Russian and Syrian regimes have reacted negatively to Turkey’s plans.
– This is definitely a detriment to Syria, Turkey and the region, and it does not achieve the political measures that the Syrian government expects, said Iran’s spiritual leader Ali Khamenei in a statement published on its website. Putin also met him during his visit to Tehran.
All three countries have participated in Syria’s more than a decade long civil war. Russia and Iran support the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad administration. Turkey, on the other hand, has supported some of the groups rebelling against the central government.
Putin teased the West on energy issues
Putin said at a press conference the night before Wednesday that Russian energy company Gazprom “fully fulfills its obligations.” In particular, Germany has been worried that Russia would reduce gas supplies in retaliation for sanctions imposed by the EU.
However, Putin also said, according to the news agency AP, that the decline in gas deliveries to European customers is the West’s own fault and warned that the decrease might continue.
Russia has already reduced and cut off gas supplies to many European countries. In addition, the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline is on a maintenance break, and there is a fear that its operation will not return to normal after the break.
Putin said in Iran that the amount of gas pumped through the pipeline will continue to decrease drastically if the turbine is not replaced soon.
Putin, on the other hand, characterized the sanctions against Russian oil as crazy ideas that destabilize the oil market and raise prices. The EU’s latest sanctions package includes a ban on most of Russia’s imported oil and will enter into force by the end of the year.
– We hear crazy ideas about setting an upper limit for Russian oil and limiting its volume. The result is the same: an increase in prices. Prices would rise like a rocket, said Putin.
Putin mocked the West for relying on green energy. At the same time, he equated renewable energy and the relationships of sexual minorities with each other, reports the Reuters news agency.
– European countries have neglected the importance of traditional forms of energy and have relied on non-traditional forms of energy. They are experts in non-traditional partnerships, so now they have decided to rely on non-traditional energy sources as well, Putin said.
According to Putin, relying on “non-traditional” green energy has led to a “long winter” in Europe.
In Russian legislation, the term non-traditional often refers to sexual minority relationships.