Russia willing to replace Ukrainian grain shipment to Africa | News

The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, through a document published in the Kremlin this Sunday, stressed that his country is willing to replace Ukrainian grain shipments for African countries, both commercially and free of charge.

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“I want to give guarantees that our country is capable of replacing Ukrainian grain both commercially and free of charge, especially since we are expecting another record harvest this year,” Vladimir Putin said.

Meanwhile, the Russian president expressed that he understands the importance of uninterrupted food supply for the socio-economic development and political stability of African states.

“On this basis, we have always paid great attention to issues related to the supply of wheat, barley, maize and other crops to African countries. We have done it contractually and free of charge as humanitarian aid, including through the United Nations Food Program,” he said.

Vladimir Putin recalled that in 2022, Russia exported 11.5 million tons of cereals to Africa, and in the first half of 2023 almost 10 million more tons were delivered, "despite the sanctions imposed on our exports."

On the other hand, he criticized the "grain agreement", whose initial purpose was to guarantee world food security, reduce the threat of hunger and help the poorest countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. In this regard, he assured that "it has been shamelessly used only for the enrichment of large American and European companies that exported and resold cereals from Ukraine."

Meanwhile, none of the provisions of the "deal" related to the exemption of Russian grain and fertilizer exports to world markets from sanctions were fulfilled.

On the eve of the Russia-Africa Summit, scheduled for July 27 and 28 in the city of Saint Petersburg, Putin stated that "we are working to prepare an impressive package of intergovernmental and interinstitutional agreements and memoranda with individual states and regional associations of the continent."