Turkish, US defense chiefs discuss Ukraine grain export deal

ANKARA

In a Monday phone call, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin discussed last week’s deal to reopen Ukrainian ports for grain exports.

The call came after Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed a deal on Friday to reopen three Ukrainian ports – Odesa, Chernomorsk, and Yuzhny – for grain exports stuck for months due to the Russia-Ukraine war, now in its sixth month.

Akar and Austin also exchanged views on Turkish-Greek relations, proposed US F-16 sales to Türkiye, the fight against terrorism, and other regional defense and security issues, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said in a statement.