Russia has floated the idea of free grain distribution to poor countries ahead of next week’s Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg.
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Trouble with grain contracts
After suspending Russia’s participation in an agreement reached last year by the United Nations and Turkey that allowed for the safe transit of Ukrainian grain and other foodstuffs through the Black Sea, Vladimir Putin proposed that Russia pay for the delivery of Russian grain to Turkey.
Neither Turkey nor Qatar agreed to the idea, which has not yet been formally presented. Even if that happens, Qatar is unlikely to support the plan, the FT writes, citing another person familiar with the matter.
People associated with the grain deal hope Russia will push forward with its plan at a summit with African leaders next week and during Putin’s visit to Turkey in August. “It’s cheeky,” said one, “and they want to show they can afford it.”
Russia has been aggressively bombing Ukrainian port cities after pulling out of a grain deal that allowed it to export 33 million tons of Ukrainian grain.
Putin said this week that Russia could supply grain in exchange for Ukrainian goods “on a commercial and free basis.” Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov and representatives of Qatar declined to comment to “FT”.
Zelensky and Erdogan talk
A Turkish official said Friday evening that the Turkish and Ukrainian presidents, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Volodymyr Zelensky, discussed the grain deal “in detail” during a phone call initiated by the Ukrainian leader. “President Erdogan underlined that Turkey is making serious efforts to restore peace,” he added.
Russia’s withdrawal from the grain deal has angered some African countries. Kenya said it was a “stab in the back” that “disproportionately hit countries” in the region.