Kalin: Turkiye ready to help clear corridors in Black Sea of mines

If Ukraine needs any help, Turkiye will be ready to help them with clearing corridors of mines, Turkish President's Aide Ibrahim Kalin told CNN International.

"But so far, it looks like they will be able to manage it themselves," Kalin said.

According to him, due to security concerns, the Kyiv administration mined the Odesa port after the start of the conflict in the country. For this reason, the Ukrainian side will create three corridors.

According to Kalin, the first ship with grain in the Black Sea may be sent in the coming weeks, it all depends on the readiness of Moscow and Kyiv.

Once the Istanbul coordinator center is up and running, the first ship will be on the way in a few weeks, he said, adding that it depends on when Russia and Ukraine are ready to start sending their ships.

Kalin believes that things will get better as soon as this traffic will go. He said Turkiye bases its actions not only on hope but rather continues its diplomatic interaction with the Russian and Ukrainian sides. 

Kalin said he is upbeat despite short-term difficulties.

Turkiye believes that Russia will fulfill the terms of the Istanbul deal on lifting restrictions on the supply of Russian products for export and on Russia's assistance in the export of Ukrainian grain, which is also in Moscow's interests.

Kalin said at the implementation stage, there will be painstaking work.

Despite the absence of an embargo or sanctions, Russian grain could not be exported for some reasons, and this agreement is also in Russia's interests, Kalin said.

According to him, Turkiye is closely following the situation in the port of Odesa and intends to raise the issue in negotiations with the Russian side.

Such attacks should be avoided, Kalin said, adding that Turkiye will monitor this issue very closely and raise it in negotiations with Russia.

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