Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to visit Istanbul on Friday on the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss the latest developments on the war as well as the grain initiative, APA reports citing Daily Sabah.

The two leaders will hold bilateral as well as interdelegational talks.

The grain agreement, which also matters in the fight against world hunger, expires on July 17.

A year ago Türkiye, the U.N., Russia, and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports which had been paused after the Russia-Ukraine war began that February. A Joint Coordination Center with officials from the three countries and the U.N. was set up in Istanbul to oversee the shipments.

The first ship carrying grain under the historic deal departed last August from the Ukrainian port of Odesa.

Türkiye, internationally praised for its unique mediator role between Ukraine and Russia, has repeatedly called on Kyiv and Moscow to end the war through negotiations.

Russian officials have strongly hinted that this month they could block the extension of the grain deal, complaining that parts of the deal to allow Russian exports have gone unfulfilled.

Source: Azeri-Press News Agency