Vladimir Putin won't rejoin Ukraine grain deal, offers shipments to Africa

July 27 (UPI) -- President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia would not rejoin the Black Sea Grain Initiative, instead offering to deliver food to six African nations.

Speaking at the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum in St. Petersburg, Putin said his government would "refuse to extend" the deal that allowed Ukrainian and Russian agricultural products to be exported via the Black Sea amid the war in Ukraine. Russia exited the pact earlier this month.

Putin said Russia would implement "a more just system of resource distribution" as he pledged to offer free grain to six Russian allies in Africa.

"In the coming three or four months, we would be ready to provide to Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, the Central African Republic and Eritrea up to 500,000 tons of grain each. We will ensure free shipping of these cargo," he said.

Earlier Thursday, the chairman of the African Union, Azali Assoumani, called on Moscow to rejoin the grain deal.

"The consequences affect the whole world, and especially Africa in socio-economic issues. So yes, we have to make this a priority. In fact, everything is a priority, if weapons are lowered there, there will be no problem.

"In the meantime, I think that the problem of cereals and fertilizers concerns everyone. We'll talk about it in St. Petersburg, we'll discuss it with Putin to see how we can restart this agreement," Assoumani said, state-backed Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported.

Since withdrawing from the initiative, Russia has launched multiple strikes against shipping facilities near Odessa, Ukraine, and along the Danube River. According to Ukrainian officials, the attacks have destroyed at least 60,000 tons of grain at the Chornomorsk port.

The decision to withdraw from the deal also drew condemnation from U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who said "the most vulnerable will pay the highest price." He credited the deal with lowering food prices by 23%.

Russia has claimed the terms of the deal related to the export of Russian products had not been fulfilled, but Ukraine alleged Russia took steps to deliberately end the pact.

On Tuesday, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Department, the GUR, said it had obtained an internal Russian document detailing a plan to sabotage the future implementation of the deal.

"The attempts by Ukrainians to use the Black Sea Initiative to continue the so-called 'Grain from Ukraine' program with the involvement of ships chartered along the line of the World Food Program have been stopped. The registration for such vessels took place only after the submission of written commitments not to participate in such actions," the document said, according to the GUR.

Also on Tuesday, Britain's ambassador to the United Nations, Barbera Woodward, said Prime Minster Rishi Sunak had shared intelligence with his Ukrainian counterparts suggesting the Russian government was considering attacks on civilian shipping.

"The Russian military may expand their targeting of Ukrainian grain facilities further, to include attacks against civilian shipping in the Black Sea. Our information also indicates that Russia has laid additional sea mines in the approaches to Ukrainian ports. We agree with the U.S. assessment that this is a coordinated effort to justify and lay blame on Ukraine for any attacks against civilian ships in the Black Sea," she said.