Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with war correspondents in Moscow on June 13, 2023. (SPUTNIK / AFP)
MOSCOW – Russia is considering withdrawing from the grain export deal as most of the Ukrainian grain, instead of going to the developing countries as agreed, is being sold to the wealthy European Union nations, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.
Putin acknowledged that food export is one of the main sources of foreign currency income for Ukraine. "We knew this. We agreed to this deal on purpose, to help the developing countries — our friends, and to get the sanctions lifted from our agricultural sector. We were cheated again," he said during a meeting with military commanders, according to a TASS news agency report Wednesday.
In case Russia quits the deal, it will provide the poorest countries with free grain shipments that they are now getting from Ukraine, Putin said
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Putin added that almost none of the Ukrainian grain reached African countries. "Therefore, we are now thinking about leaving this so-called grain deal, especially since the corridors through which the ships go are constantly used by the enemy to launch sea drones," he said.
In case Russia quits the deal, it will provide the poorest countries with free grain shipments that they are now getting from Ukraine, Putin said. "We are ready to give the poorest countries the amount of grain they used to get, which is, I repeat, a little over three percent, for free."
Putin added that the matter still needs further discussion and he intends to consult the leaders of African states soon.
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In July 2022, Russia and Ukraine separately signed the Black Sea Grain Initiative in Istanbul with Türkiye and the United Nations on grain and fertilizer exports from Ukraine and Russia to ensure supplies to global markets amid the Ukraine crisis.
