Moscow (EFE).- The Kremlin reiterated on Tuesday Russia’s willingness to supply free grain to African countries after the suspension of the Black Sea initiative for the export of Ukrainian cereals.
“Naturally. Russia maintains its position”, the spokesman for the Russian Presidency, Dmitri Peskov, responded to the respective question in his daily press conference.
At the same time, he added that “unfortunately, we are talking about quite small amounts, because the poorest countries in Africa received less cereal than all” under the grain agreement.
Peskov added that Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to address the issue with his African colleagues during the upcoming Russia-Africa cover to be held in late July in St. Petersburg.
Last March Putin promised that Russia would send free food to the most needy African countries if he had to suspend the grain agreement, something he finally did on July 17.
The Kremlin signaled yesterday when suspending the deal that “as soon as the Russian side” of the agreements is fulfilled, Russia will “immediately re-implement this agreement.”
It is, according to Moscow, the reconnection of the Russian agricultural bank, Rosseljozbank, to SWIFT, the lifting of sanctions on spare parts for agricultural machinery, the unblocking of logistics and transport insurance, the unfreezing of assets and the resumption of operation of the Togliatti-Odesa ammonia pipeline, which exploded on June 5.
Moscow warns of security “risk” of continuing to export Ukrainian grain without Russia
The Kremlin warned on Tuesday that the continuation of Ukrainian grain exports without Russia, something kyiv has requested, implies “certain security risks” that the countries involved should be aware of.
“It is an issue that must be discussed by our military because it is an area close to the combat zone, and without the proper guarantees there certain risks arise,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said at his daily press conference. .
Peskov added that if something is done without Russia, “those risks have to be taken into account.”
“And here we cannot say which countries and to what extent they would be willing to take those risks,” he said.
The President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelensky, asked the UN and Turkey on Monday to extend, without the participation of Russia, the initiative that allows the export of Ukrainian cereals through the Black Sea, after the Kremlin announced the “suspension” of the agreement.
“I have sent official letters to the President of Turkey (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan and the UN Secretary General António Guterres with the proposal to continue the Black Sea Grain Initiative or its equivalent in a trilateral format,” Zelensky said.
According to the president, Ukraine, the UN and Turkey “can jointly guarantee the functionality of the food corridor and the inspection of ships” that until now allowed the maritime exit of Ukrainian grain.
The Kremlin signaled yesterday when suspending the deal that “as soon as the Russian side” of the agreements is fulfilled, Russia will “immediately re-implement this agreement.”
It is, according to Moscow, the reconnection of the Russian agricultural bank, Rosseljozbank, to SWIFT, the lifting of sanctions on spare parts for agricultural machinery, the unblocking of logistics and transport insurance, the unfreezing of assets and the resumption of operation of the Togliatti-Odesa ammonia pipeline, which exploded on June 5.