Rubio's statement on Turkey: Ankara's proposals for the grain corridor are on the table!

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he had reviewed the proposals sent by Turkey to secure grain shipments across the Black Sea again. Rubio, noting Turkey's past efforts to implement a grain corridor agreement, said they wanted a partial ceasefire that would allow shipments to continue, but that they had not yet set a timetable for it.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio answered questions from the press at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Atlanta. With the Russia‑Ukraine war and the re‑securing of grain shipments across the Black Sea on the agenda, Rubio highlighted Turkey's initiatives on the issue.

He Reminded of Turkey's Grain Corridor Efforts

Rubio noted that interest in meeting the world's grain needs via the Black Sea has risen again, emphasizing that the issue is not new.

Rubio, recalling that Turkey had made steady efforts on the matter in the past, said that an agreement had once been reached but that it later fell apart.

Rubio said he did not want to speculate on whether a new agreement was possible, pointing out that the African continent had been affected by recent developments. He noted that the energy dimension of the issue should also not be overlooked.

We Are Reviewing Turkey's Proposals

Speaking about Turkey’s diplomatic initiatives, Rubio said the proposals Ankara sent to the United States are still under review.

Rubio,We are examining the proposals that Turkey transmitted to us a week or two ago and will continue to evaluate the related work. We hope to achieve this; even if the war as a whole is not brought to an end, at least we can resolve a dimension inherent to the war.said.

Rubio, who said a partial cease‑fire is needed to ensure grain shipments can continue safely, expressed hope that a development will occur in this regard but cannot provide an approximate timeframe for when results can be achieved.

Talks on a general ceasefire with Russia and Ukraine are underway.

Rubio, who indicated that diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war are also continuing, reminded that many lives have been lost in the conflict. He said the United States continues to hold talks with both the Moscow and Kyiv administrations.

Rubio, who emphasized the importance of keeping communication channels open between the U.S. and Russia, warned of the risk of a possible escalation in the future.

Rubio, who said he frequently meets with the Kyiv administration,"We frequently engage with Ukrainians, even more so than with the Russian side, and we need to be able to talk to the Russian side as well."used such expressions.

Draws Attention to Russia's Nuclear Weapon Capacity

In explaining the importance of maintaining communication with Russia, Rubio emphasized that Russia's nuclear weapon capacity should not be forgotten.

Rubio said, "There is also the fact that Russia possesses a large number of nuclear weapons. Perhaps people have forgotten this; however, we would like to remind that this situation remains important no matter what."

Rubio's statements revealed that the United States had evaluated Turkey's diplomatic efforts to secure grain shipments across the Black Sea.