Putin Pledges Aid to African Allies.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to ship food and provide more security assistance to a swath of African nations after his move to end a deal safeguarding the export of Ukrainian grain, rattling nerves in many of the continent's most vulnerable nations.

Putin is trying to maintain the support of several of Russia's Cold War-era partners, and on Friday, the final day of a two-day summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, he told African leaders that he is ready to train their militaries, write off debts and provide thousands of tons of wheat and corn. He also vowed to extend trade relationships with African nations, some of which already have close ties to Moscow, while offering to help modernize their own agricultural sectors and open new embassies.

"I would also like to note that before our very eyes, the African continent is becoming a new center of power," Putin told his counterparts. "Its political and economic role is growing exponentially. And everyone will have to reckon with this objective reality."

Africa -- the largest regional grouping represented at the United Nations, with 54 governments -- is becoming an influential element in the tussle between Russia and Ukraine for international support.

Many African nations have refrained from taking a position in the events in Ukraine, and the 17 heads of state who attended this week's forum -- a drop from the more than 40 who went to the first such summit in 2019 -- remained noncommittal in public.

Putin praised the African leaders who came for having "shown political will, demonstrated their independence and real interest in developing cooperation" with Russia.

The Russian leader denied that Moscow's withdrawal from the U.N.-brokered Black Sea grain initiative -- a pact guaranteeing safe passage for Ukraine's vast wheat and corn exports -- was responsible for destabilizing global food supplies.

He has blamed the West's sanctions on Russia for hampering exports of fertilizers and other products, and accused the U.N. of failing to meet Moscow's requirements to extend the Black Sea deal.

Putin reiterated his pledge to provide 25,000 to 50,000 tons of grain to six African nations, free of charge, in the coming months. He also noted that Russia had written off $23 billion in African debt and would allocate more than $90 million more for these purposes and for development "at the latest requests from African countries," he said.

There is widespread skepticism over the Kremlin's ability to make good on such promises while Russia's economy is constrained by Western sanctions and events in Ukraine.

In remarks at Friday's plenary session, Cyril Ramaphosa, president of the continent's powerhouse South Africa, said his country is "encouraged by the Russian Federation's commitment to deepening collaboration with the nations of Africa." He said the continent is seeking "reciprocal trade and investment, and for the goods, products and services from Africa to compete on an equal footing in the global economy."

While avoiding the appearance of being publicly critical of Putin, some African leaders didn't hold back on urging the Russian president to restore the grain deal.

"It's necessary to find an urgent and quick solution to the problems of food supplies to countries in need, while paying attention to all issues related to this topic," Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, whose country is one of the world's top importers of wheat, told a plenary chaired by Putin, according to Russia's state news agency, TASS.

Hit hard by the economic fallout from the conflict, a group of African leaders have crafted a peace proposal aimed at ending the hostilities and securing predictable food supplies. The plan has so far gained little traction.

On Friday, Denis Sassou Nguesso, president of the Republic of the Congo, called for an end to the fighting in Ukraine. He told Putin and his African counterparts that the African peace initiative deserves close attention and "should not be underestimated," TASS cited him as saying.

Putin said that he would consider the African nations' proposals, but said Ukraine needed to be convinced.” [1]

1. World News: Putin Pledges Aid to African Allies. Simmons, Ann M. 
Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 29 July 2023: A.8.