A cargo ship is uploading grain at Rostov-on-Don port before heading to Turkey (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Turkish state news agency Anadolu reported that the two Presidents held direct talks in an effort to extend the grain deal.

Last July the UN and Turkey brokered the Black Sea Grains Initiative to help solve the global food crisis. So far the deal has been extended three times and will expire on July 18. But there has been no move to indicate that it will be extended. Russia has accused the West of "cheating" by implementing none of the promises to get Russian agricultural goods to world markets.

The Kremlin said it would closely monitor the result of the meeting between the President of Ukraine and Turkey. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said that President Vladimir Putin may talk with Turkish President Erdogan but has not set a specific date.