Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa where the two leaders discussed the Black Sea grain deal and the BRICS summit which is to be hosted in Johannesburg next month, said the Kremlin, on Saturday (July 15). This comes as the Ukraine grain deal is set to expire on Monday while the United Nations is still waiting for an answer from Russia about its extension.
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The statement by the Kremlin did not mention the details of the conversation but said that Ramaphosa had briefed Putin about preparations for the upcoming BRICS summit. This comes as Putin’s possible attendance has become a point of contention between the two countries.
Earlier this year, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against the Russian president and accused him of war crimes after he reportedly deported Ukrainian children to Russia.
Russia has since dismissed the order as “outrageous” and legally void since Moscow is not an ICC member. On the other hand, South Africa which is a member state of the world court would be obligated to arrest Putin if he were to set foot on their territory. However, his presence is yet to be officially confirmed by the Kremlin.
South Africa’s Deputy President Paul Mashatile, in an interview with the weekly newspaper Mail & Guardian, said Russia rejected their request to not send Putin.
According to the media report, South Africa had suggested Moscow send Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to lead Russia’s delegation on August 22-24, instead of Putin.
Additionally, BRICS members, Brazil, India, China and South Africa opposed holding the summit virtually, said Mashatile.
Russia on the Black Sea grain deal
Moscow is yet to make a decision about the extension of the grain deal which expires on Monday and has enabled Ukraine to export grain from its Black Sea ports amid its conflict with Russia.
On Thursday, the Russian president said that “not one” of Moscow’s conditions for the deal to function had been met. “I want to emphasise that nothing was done, nothing at all. It’s all one-sided,” Putin said in a televised interview, adding: “We will think about what to do, we have a few more days.”
“Vladimir Putin stressed that the obligations recorded in the relevant Russia-UN memorandum to remove obstacles to the export of Russian food and fertilizers still remain unfulfilled,” Putin told Ramaphosa, according to a Kremlin statement.
The call was also later confirmed by the South African presidency who said that the call with the Russian president took place following a call with the UN chief and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Recent statements have indicated that Russia might pull out of the UN-brokered deal struck a year ago. The UN spokesperson, on Friday, said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, is still waiting for an answer on his proposal to extend the grain deal.
“Discussions are being had, WhatsApp messages are being sent, Signal messages are being sent and exchanged. We’re also waiting for a response to the letter,” said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
Turkey claims Putin has agreed to extend the grain deal
While the UN was still waiting for an answer from Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on Friday claimed his Russian counterpart has agreed to extend the Black Sea grain deal.
“We are preparing to welcome Putin in August and we agree on the extension of the Black Sea grain corridor,” Erdogan told reporters. Guterres sent a letter to Putin this week about an extension and supported hurdles to Russia exporting its fertilisers.
When asked about the Turkish president’s claims, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, “There is no statement about this from the Russian side.”
(With inputs from agencies)
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