This agreement was signed in July 2022 between Ukraine and Russia aims to guarantee, despite the war, the export of millions of tons of cereals from Ukrainian ports, thus avoiding a global food crisis.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that the main objective of the Ukrainian grain agreement, which expires on July 17, had not been achieved, during a phone call with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa.
“Vladimir Putin stressed that the obligations set out in the Russia-UN memorandum on the removal of obstacles for the export of Russian food products and fertilizers are still not fulfilled,” the Kremlin said.
“The main objective of the agreement, the delivery of cereals to countries in need, particularly on the African continent, has not been achieved”, continues the Russian presidency in a press release reporting this conversation between the two leaders.
Towards an extension of the agreement?
The South African presidency confirmed that Cyril Ramaphosa had discussed the issue with Vladimir Putin, following a call between the South African president and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
The day before, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, mediator between kyiv and Moscow, assured that his Russian counterpart was “agree” to extend this vital agreement on Ukrainian cereals.
But the Kremlin has denied making any statement about it. Thursday, Vladimir Putin had already deplored that “not a single” Russian request was taken into account during negotiations to extend the agreement.
Russia-Africa Summit
Signed in July 2022 in Istanbul and already renewed twice, the agreement expires this Monday evening at midnight in Istanbul. Over the past year, it has enabled nearly 33 million tonnes of cereals to be taken out of Ukrainian ports despite the conflict.
This Saturday, the South African president also discussed with Vladimir Putin the preparations for the Brics summit in South Africa at the end of August, where the Russian leader is invited despite an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court, according to the Kremlin.
The two heads of state also discussed the Russia-Africa summit, scheduled for late July in Saint Petersburg, and the initiative for peace in Ukraine promoted by several African leaders, according to the Kremlin as well as Pretoria.
Vladimir Putin and Cyril Ramaphosa “have agreed” to have a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of this summit in Russia, said the Russian presidency.
On the conflict as on the grain issue, “President Ramaphosa also had a telephone discussion with Ukrainian President” Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday. He “will continue his discussions with the two leaders and the secretary general of the UN on these questions”, insists the press release from Pretoria.