Erdogan urges Putin to reduce tension and extend Ukraine grain deal

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office said the president pressed his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in a phone call on Thursday to take steps to reduce tension in Ukraine and urged him to extend an agreement to protect grain exports in the Black Sea.

Erdogan also referred to Moscow's plans to integrate four Ukrainian regions into Russia, which Turkey opposes, and asked Putin to give peace negotiations another chance, according to Ankara's account of the call.

The grain corridor brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, which allows Ukrainian grain exports, is due to expire in late November and could be renewed with support from Russia and the other three parties to the deal.

Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news