SOCHI, RUSSIA — Following talks with Turkey leaders, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would only rejoin the Black Sea grain deal if the West stopped restricting Russia’s exports from global markets, the Associated Press reported.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey and the United Nations had worked on a new package of suggestions to ease Russian concerns. Erdogan also said, “We believe that we will reach a solution that will meet the expectations in a short time.”

In July, Russia left the grain deal, originally brokered by Turkey and the United Nations, that had allowed for the safe passage of 33 million tonnes of grain through the Black Sea. Prior to the deal, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 had stopped the movement of grain in the region.

Since leaving the grain deal, Russia has repeatedly attacked grain infrastructure at ports on the Black Sea and along the Danube River. Ukraine has been searching for ways to circumvent the Russian blockade of its southern ports.

Russia refused to extend the deal in July, complaining that a parallel agreement promising to remove obstacles to Russian exports of food and fertilizer hadn’t been honored.

He said on Sept. 4 that if those commitments were honored, Russia could return to the grain deal “within days.”

Turkey’s Erdogan said Ukraine should soften its negotiating position against Russia.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, speaking later on Ukrainian television, said Kyiv would not alter its stand, Reuters reported.

Putin also said on Sept. 4 that Russia was close to finalizing an agreement to provide free grain to six African countries. Last month, he promised shipments to Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, Eritrea and Central African Republic.

The country will ship 1 million tonnes of cheap grain to Turkey for processing and delivery to poor countries.