ISTANBUL, TURKEY — Turkish President Recep Erdogan on Aug. 9 called on western nations to “fulfill their promises” as he attempts to revive the Black Sea Grain Initiative “with an expanded scope,” according to a Bloomberg report.

Russia on July 17 withdrew from the grain deal, which for nearly 12 months allowed safe passage of Ukrainian grain exports on the Black Sea despite an ongoing war between the two countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin has cited demands that were not being fulfilled as the reasons for pulling out of the agreement. The demands include reconnecting several of its key banks to the international SWIFT banking system, which he said would enhance Russia’s ability to export food and fertilizer.

The European Union has excluded Russia from the SWIFT banking system for more than a year as punishment for its invasion of Ukraine.

Erdogan, who did specify the promises that the western countries had failed to fulfill, spoke on the phone with Putin on Aug. 8 and said the two leaders agreed on the importance of sending grain to African nations that are dependent on imports, Bloomberg reported.

After invading Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, Russia initially prevented Ukraine from exporting grain through its the Black Sea ports. In late July of that year, an agreement was brokered by Turkey and the United Nations to allow Ukraine, one of the world’s largest corn and wheat exporters, to ship grain on the Black Sea. During the next 12 months, Ukraine exported more than 33 million tonnes of grain from its seaports.

Since withdrawing from the grain deal, Russia has bombed Ukraine’s grain assets at its Black Sea terminals and on the Danube River, destroying storage silos and thousands of tonnes of stored grain in the process.

Putin is planning to visit Erdogan in Turkey later this month, according to Bloomberg.