President Putin has stated that Russia has the capability to replace Ukraine as a supplier of grain to Africa after withdrawing from a deal that allowed safe shipment of grain across the Black Sea.

In a statement from the Kremlin, Moscow announced its willingness to provide grain to Africa on both commercial and free-of-charge terms. Previously, in the year leading up to June 2022, Russia was a major exporter of wheat to Africa, shipping 10.8 million tonnes. During the same period, Ukraine exported 6.3 million tonnes of wheat to the continent.

President Putin expressed confidence in a record harvest this year in Russia. The country is set to host the second Russia-Africa summit later in the week.

The termination of the Ukraine grain deal was met with regret from the African Union, whose member states have been severely impacted by the surging food prices.

There are reports suggesting that Moscow is seeking to supply grain to Africa through a partnership involving Qatar and Turkey, although it remains uncertain whether they will accept this arrangement.