FACT CHECK: Meeting Erdogan, Putin Lies (Again) About Why Russia Quit the Black Sea Grain Deal

Following talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on September 4, Russian President Vladimir Putin declined to renew Moscow’s participation in a deal that allowed Ukraine to export grain from its Black Sea ports, helping avert global food insecurity.

“Not a single obligation to Russia was fulfilled” under the deal, Putin claimed, accusing Ukraine of using the grain corridor to commit acts of terror.

“And while Russia clearly provided security guarantees for shipping under this deal, the other side used humanitarian corridors for terrorist attacks against Russian civilian and military facilities. This could no longer be tolerated,” Putin said.

That is false.

There is no evidence Ukraine has ever launched strikes from the grain corridor or used the designated humanitarian sea route for any military purpose. Russia’s Black Sea fleet, on the other hand, has systematically fired cruise missiles at civilian targets in Ukraine.