Moscow | Talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan began on Monday with the Turkish leader seeking to persuade Russia to revive an agreement that allowed Ukraine to export grain and other commodities from three Black Sea ports.

Putin in July refused to extend the agreement, which was brokered by Turkiye and the United Nations a year earlier.

Russia complained that a parallel deal promising to remove obstacles to Russian exports of food and fertilizer hadn't been honoured. It said restrictions on shipping and insurance hampered its agricultural trade even though it has shipped record amounts of wheat since last year.

Opening the talks, Putin said he was open to discussing the grain deal, among other issues.

The two leaders met in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi on Monday, where the Russian president