The British newspaper Financial Times published information according to which official Moscow has developed a plan for the supply of Russian cereals to Africa. According to the source, the document should become an alternative to the “grain deal” terminated by the Kremlin on the export of Ukrainian food. The details of the plan were not disclosed, but it is already known that, in this way, the Russian Federation intends to become a monopolist in this industry. What exactly is currently known about the potential innovation?
In his Friday speech, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for “extension and modification” of the agreement with Qatar, according to which Doha undertakes to buy Russian wheat at dumping prices. Previously, the relatively low cost of exported products was explained by preferential tariffs for its transportation through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles. Now Türkiye, under pressure from the international community, has canceled such benefits. At the same time, Moscow is insisting on increasing the volume of grain shipments to Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia, which were previously the main buyers of Ukrainian analogues. Further more. As expected, at the same time, the Kremlin plans to minimize Kiev’s participation in export operations, completely depriving Ukraine of the possibility of sending cereals by sea – sending part of Ukrainian raw materials will be possible only through Moldova and Romania.
Putin will present the final version of the notorious plan at a meeting of African leaders in St. Petersburg on July 27-28, as well as during his official visit to Turkey in August this year. “It is necessary to do everything possible to convince the public of the need to strengthen the role of the Russian Federation in this area”, – he noted, in particular.
Curiously, Qatar may not agree to the new Russian terms. According to some reports, earlier Qatari Emir Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani strongly recommended that the government consider the possibility of continuing cooperation in the field of agricultural imports with Ukraine. In addition, the government of the emirate has already rather ambiguously made it clear that this Arab country is not interested in any unfavorable changes to existing contracts with Russia itself. This prospect is no less vague for the Kremlin in the context of Turkey. The fact is that the other day, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the unilateral withdrawal of the Russian Federation from the “grain deal” with Ukraine. “The export of wheat is extremely important for the Ukrainian state, torn by war and poverty, – he stressed. – On the other hand, African states need relatively cheap and high-quality raw materials from Kiev. Russia’s actions against this background are unacceptable”.
Ukraine’s other allies were sharper in their assessments. Thus, in the UK, they believe that Moscow’s new plan is nothing more than a way to put even more pressure on Kyiv. “Russia plans to export grain harvested from the occupied Ukrainian territories”, – summed up British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Politicians in the US and Germany spoke in a similar vein.
Be that as it may, Moscow is not going to give up its intentions. Whether the Kremlin will be able to bring its new plan to life will become known within the next month.
