Key takeaways:
- Putin promised African leaders 25,000-50,000 tons of free grain over the next three to four months.
- The free grain announcement follows international criticism of Russia’s alleged involvement in the Ukrainian conflict.
- The Russian president’s promise of free grain is seen as a gesture of goodwill to African nations, as well as a way to strengthen ties between Russia and African countries.
At the Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised African leaders tens of thousands of tons of free grain on Thursday. The announcement follows international condemnation for allegedly endangering the world’s food supply by bombing Ukrainian ports and reneging on a landmark export deal.
Putin said he would give 25,000-50,000 tons of “free grain” over the next three to four months to six countries: Somalia, Burkina Faso, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Central African Republic and Mali. He also said the war in Ukraine was “very significantly heated” at the moment.
The summit was attended by 21 African leaders, less than half of the 43 leaders who participated in the first Russia-Africa summit in 2019. Notable absentees included the leaders of several large African nations, including Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu and Kenya’s William Ruto, as well as Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame.
The free grain announcement follows international criticism of Russia’s alleged involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. The conflict has been ongoing since 2014 and has caused a disruption in the global food supply chain. Putin’s announcement of free grain is seen as an attempt to appease the international community and improve Russia’s image in the region.
The Russian president’s promise of free grain is seen as a gesture of goodwill to African nations, as well as a way to strengthen ties between Russia and African countries. It remains to be seen whether this move will be enough to repair the damage done by the Ukrainian conflict.
Be First to Comment