The main objective of the agreement on Ukrainian grain was not achieved, Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin estimated on Saturday that the main objective of the Ukrainian grain agreement, which expires on July 17, has not been achieved, during a telephone conversation with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, AFP and Agerpres report.
"Vladimir Putin stressed that the obligations set out in the Russia-UN memorandum on the removal of obstacles to the export of Russian food products and fertilizers have not yet been fulfilled," the Kremlin said in a statement after the conversation. According to this statement, "the main objective of the agreement, the delivery of grain to countries in need, especially on the African continent, has not been achieved."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who mediates between Kiev and Moscow, assured on Friday that Vladimir Putin is "agreed" to extend the agreement on Ukrainian grain, signed a year ago in Istanbul and already extended twice.
The deal, which within a year has allowed nearly 33 million tonnes of grain to leave Ukrainian ports despite the conflict, is due to expire at midnight Istanbul time (21:00 GMT) on Monday.
On the other hand, the Russian-African president discussed with his Russian counterpart the preparations for the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit in South Africa at the end of August, to which Putin is also invited, despite the arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court. The two leaders also discussed, according to the Kremlin, the Russia-Africa summit scheduled for later this month in St. Petersburg, as well as the Ukraine peace initiative supported by several African leaders.
Putin and Ramaphosa "agreed" to have a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the summit in Russia, said the Russian presidency.
