Russian President Vladimir Putin said that after Ukraine withdrew from the grain corridor agreement that provides safe passage of grain across the Black Sea, they can export the grain that the African continent needs.
Writing an article published on the Kremlin’s website, Putin stated that Moscow can export grain to Africa, some commercially and some free.
In his article, Putin also stated that they expect a record harvest this year.
The second Russia-Africa summit will be held this week in St Petersburg, Russia.
In the face of not extending the Ukraine grain corridor agreement, the African Union, which includes the countries most affected by the rising food prices, has issued a statement expressing its regret over this decision.
‘Türkiye and Qatar route’
In some news, it was suggested that Moscow proposed to export grain to Africa via a route that included Turkey and Qatar.
The race of Russia and Western countries to establish more dominance over the African continent has recently gained momentum.
According to the United Nations data, while Russia still has limited investments in Africa, Moscow focused on diplomatic efforts to increase the support given to it in the continent.
In the UN vote on the Russian invasion of Ukraine in March 2022, 28 African countries supported condemning Moscow in favor of the UN resolution, while 25 countries abstained or did not participate in the vote.
“Russia will continue to work diligently to organize the supply of grain, food, fertilizer and more to Africa. We attach great importance to dynamically developing our economic relations with Africa,” Vladimir Putin said in his article.
Vladimir Putin also made some statements about why Ukraine did not extend the grain corridor agreement.
“The continuation of a grain deal that did not justify humanitarian aims was meaningless,” Putin said.
Moscow said that the conditions put forward by Russia for the continuation of the agreement were not taken into account, and suspended the grain corridor agreement, which was mediated by the UN and Turkey, allowing the safe passage of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, on 17 July.
A few hours later, attacks were carried out on the ports of Odessa and Mikolayiv, to which Ukraine exports grain.
There were also attacks on the port of Chornomorsk on the Black Sea coast.
The Minister of Agriculture of Ukraine said that 60,000 tons of Ukrainian grain were destroyed in the missile attacks.
