Russia will continue honoring its commitment to supply grain and fertilizers to African countries after the termination of the Black Sea Grain Deal, the Russian state news agency TASS reported, citing Valentina Matviyenko, the speaker of the Federation Council, the upper chamber of the Russian legislative assembly.
Moscow announced on July 17 that it had terminated Russia’s participation in the agreement, further heightening uncertainty over global food supplies (GM July 21, p. 1).
Russia “will perform its obligations, and we have the tools and abilities to do so, and will supply grain and fertilizers, including on a commercial and on a free-of-charge basis, to African countries acutely needing them,” Matviyenko said at a July 25 press conference.