The chief foreign policy and security adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will focus during their meeting tomorrow, Monday, September 4, 2023, on the grain export agreement via Black Sea ports, with Ankara aiming to bring Moscow back to the agreement.

He added, in a television interview, "We play a key role here. We see strong support from around the world to activate the grain corridor."

He also remarked, "The current situation (regarding the grain agreement) will be discussed at the summit (tomorrow) Monday. We are cautious, but we hope to achieve success because this situation affects the entire world."

Ukrainian officials stated that Russian drones targeted infrastructure at a port on the Danube River, which is crucial for Ukrainian grain exports, resulting in injuries to at least two people in the attack on the southern parts of the Odesa region today, Sunday.

The Danube River has become a key route for Ukraine to export grain since July of last year when Russia withdrew from the grain agreement, which was mediated by the United Nations and Turkey, allowing a safe corridor for Kyiv's exports of grain, oilseeds, and vegetable oils via Black Sea ports.

Moreover, Kılıç clarified that Ankara is aware of the technical complexities surrounding the agreement, especially regarding Russian grain and payment mechanisms.

He stated that the issue also pertains to international payment systems such as SWIFT, which poses a multifaceted challenge.

He added, "Here, the decision of the Russian leader is important. I believe that the bilateral meeting between President Erdoğan and Putin will play the most crucial role in this matter."