Turkish President calls Ukraine and Russia to discuss Black Sea grain deal extension

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan talked on the phone with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy and congratulated each other for the extension of a UN-brokered grains deal, Erdogan's office said.

Erdogan told Zelenskyy that both the grains deal and the prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine were positive experiences, and that the "extension of this understanding to the negotiation table" would benefit all parties. 

The Turkish presidency also said on Friday that Erdogan spoke over the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Ankara reportedly told Russia diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine must be revived. 

Erdogan thanked Putin for the extension of the Black Sea grain deal in the phone call, according to Reuters. 

Turkey has pursued a middle way throughout the conflict in Ukraine, maintaining relations with both Moscow and Kyiv. 

In recent weeks, Ankara helped to save a critical grain deal after Russia suddenly with-drew from the agreement. 

The deal allowed for the passage of Ukrainian food shipments - stranded in ports due to Russia's February 24 invasion - out of the Black Sea.