Blinken Says Russian Grain Deliveries to Africa Will Not Change Market Situation

"It won’t change the fact that millions of tons of grain were removed from the market and are not available to those in need, especially in developing countries," the US secretary of state added

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken

© AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin

WASHINGTON, August 8. /TASS/. The US authorities believe that Russia's free deliveries of grain to a number of African countries neither halt the growth of its cost nor change the food market situation, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview with French radio station RFI, the transcript of which was published by the US Department of State.

"Russia has apparently expressed the idea of exporting 50,000 metric tons of grain to five or six countries. Under the agreement, which the Russians tore up, we exported 20 million metric tons to developing countries. So, 50,000 tons proposed by Russia versus 20 million tons exported under the agreement; there is no comparison. What Russia is proposing is a drop in the bucket. It does not address the problem. It won’t stop the rise in prices. It won’t change the fact that millions of tons of grain were removed from the market and are not available to those in need, especially in developing countries," he said.

A package of documents geared to resolve the problem of food and fertilizer supplies on global markets was signed on July 22, 2022 in Istanbul and extended several times after that before ultimately expiring on July 17. Russia refused to extend it again because the part of the deal envisaging the removal of obstacles for Russian agricultural exports was never implemented. Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed that Russia would resume the deal once its demands were met.