The grain deal was front and center when Russian President Vladiimir Putin met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi yesterday, which the Kremlin said lasted 90 minutes. The two presidents both had with them large delegations, including Defense and Foreign Ministers, central bank chiefs, and other officials dealing with economic and trade matters.
On the grain deal, Putin asserted that its termination had no effect on world grain prices. “It is obvious that termination of deal implementation has not affected global food markets, I would like to particularly stress it, irrespective of what is said in this regard. Grain prices continue declining; there is no physical shortage of food. Problems are in place with its fair distribution, that’s true. But this is not related at all to the so-called grain deal,” Putin said, reported TASS. Russia “does not see anything surprising in it,” the President stressed. “This is because the share of, say, Ukraine as part of the global grain export was 5% and remained the same, and will decline in current conditions,” he added.
Putin announced that Russia will start sending supplies of grain, free of charge, to six African nations in two to three weeks’ time. “We are close to finalizing the agreement with six African countries, to which we are going to deliver food free of charge and even implement free supplies, logistics, and deliver this cargo. Negotiations are almost close to completion; the shipment will start in two to three coming weeks,” Putin said.
