Following Moscow’s withdrawal from a contract allowing their secure shipment, President Vladimir Putin stated on Monday that Russia would replace exports of grain from Ukraine to Africa.
“Russia will continue its energetic efforts to provide supplies of grain, food products, fertilisers and other goods to Africa,” Putin said in a statement published on the Kremlin’s website.
“I want to give assurances that our country is capable of replacing the Ukrainian grain both on a commercial and free-of-charge basis.”
Up until a pact mediated by the UN and Turkey and reached in July 2022 allowed for the passage of crucial grain shipments, Moscow’s military action barred Ukraine’s Black Sea ports with warships.
Russia left the accord earlier this month after claiming that a separate agreement to permit the export of Russian grain and fertilizer had not been upheld.
Later, Moscow declared that it would consider cargo ships passing through the Black Sea on their way to Ukraine as potential military targets.
The decision by Moscow to sever the grain export agreement has been met with “regret” by the African Union.
The second Russia-Africa Summit and the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum will be held in Russia later this week, according to the Kremlin.
According to humanitarian organizations, Russia and Ukraine’s grain exports to Africa are crucial.
Over the past year, the grain agreement allowed for the shipment of more than 32 million tonnes of grain from Ukraine.
