Russia: Turkey agrees to transship one million tons of grain for Africa

(Patria) - Russia announced that Turkey has in principle agreed to take over one million metric tons of grain that Russia plans to send to Africa at a reduced price with financial support from Qatar.

Moscow proposed this arrangement after withdrawing in July from a year-old
deal that allowed Ukraine to safely export grain from its Black Sea ports, hoping to curb rising global food prices exacerbated by Russia's invasion, Reuters reports.

"All principal agreements have been reached. We expect to enter into working contacts with all parties in the near future to work out all the technical aspects of the scheme for such deliveries," Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told reporters, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.

Turkey would handle the further export of Russian grain, but details of its role were unclear.
Moscow says it withdrew from the previous deal because the West did not remove obstacles to its grain and fertilizer exports caused by sanctions, but also complained that too little of the grain released by the Black Sea deal reached the poorest countries.

Since withdrawing from the deal, Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukrainian sea and river ports and grain warehouses, leading Ukraine and the West to accuse it of using food as a weapon.