Russia will soon deliver free cereals to six African countries as promised at the end of July, the Russian president confirmed on Monday when he received his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi, in the south of the country. “We are close to concluding agreements with six African states to which we intend to supply ‘free grain’ in the coming weeks,” he told a press conference.
Russia ready to “ensure free logistics”
The Russian president said that Russia was also ready to “provide free logistics to deliver these cargoes”. “The negotiations are almost over. Deliveries will begin in the coming weeks,” he told the press, without specifying which countries are concerned. At the end of July, a few days after the expiration of the grain agreement to which Moscow had slammed the door, unhappy to see international sanctions disrupting its exports of fertilizers and cereals, Vladimir Putin announced that he was making a move, against a background of concern. growing in several African countries.
During the Russia-Africa summit organized in Saint Petersburg, in the north-west of Russia, the Russian president had thus promised Thursday to six African countries the free delivery of cereals in the coming months. Faced with the press on Monday, Vladimir Putin also once again said he was ready to relaunch the cereal agreement provided that his demands were met. “We will do this as soon as all the agreements contained therein regarding the lifting of restrictions on the export of Russian agricultural products are fully implemented,” he said alongside Recep Erdogan, who is trying to revive the initial agreement to which he had contributed.
Turkey opposes ‘alternatives’
At the same time, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was opposed to “alternatives” to the agreement on the export of Ukrainian cereals via the Black Sea from which Moscow withdrew in July, saying he was preparing “proposals” to resuscitate the agreement. “Alternative proposals on the agenda cannot offer a sustainable and secure model based on cooperation between parties like the Black Sea Initiative,” the Turkish president said in Sochi after a meeting. meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
The Turkish head of state clarified that Turkey was preparing “a new set of proposals in consultation with the UN” in order to resuscitate the agreement, which is crucial for the world food supply.
Westerners accused of ‘cheating’ Russia
Russia says exporting its own agricultural products and fertilizers to the international market is hampered by Western sanctions. On Monday, Vladimir Putin again accused the West of having “cheated” Russia. “Once again they did nothing” on Moscow’s demands, he lamented. Negotiated under the aegis of Ankara and the UN in the summer of 2022, the grain agreement aimed to allow grain exports through Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea.
Finally, on the sidelines of the Putin-Erdogan meeting, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also discussed with his Turkish counterpart Yasar Guler on “the grain agreement and joint work in Syria”, indicated his services in Moscow.