ANKARA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov met on Saturday to discuss the Ukraine conflict and the safety of navigation in the Black Sea.

The two ministers met in Türkiye's southern coastal city of Antalya on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, semi-official Anadolu Agency quoted anonymous Turkish diplomatic sources as saying.

During the meeting, the two ministers reviewed Türkiye-Russia relations and explored opportunities for further cooperation, particularly in the energy sector.

Discussions also focused on ensuring safe navigation in the Black Sea, a topic of growing importance due to regional tensions. The two sides also exchanged views on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, including efforts to reach a ceasefire, according to the sources.

Late last month, the Kremlin said Russia and the United States, a mediator between Moscow and Kiev, had agreed to ensure the implementation of the Black Sea initiative, provided that sanctions are eased on Russia's agricultural and food trade.

Russia and Ukraine signed separately with Türkiye and the United Nations the Black Sea Grain Initiative in Istanbul in July 2022, which secured the export of Ukrainian grain and other agricultural products from Black Sea ports.

As a parallel agreement, Russia and the UN signed a memorandum of understanding on the facilitation of Russian food and fertilizer exports.

On July 17, 2023, Russia suspended its participation in the Black Sea deal, citing unfulfilled commitments to the Russian part.

According to Anadolu, the situation in Syria and the latest developments in the Gaza Strip were also addressed in the talks between the two top diplomats. Enditem

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