FT: Kremlin seeks to cut Ukraine out of global grain market

Russia is pushing a plan to supply grain to Africa and cut Ukraine out of the global market after Moscow’s withdrawal this week from a UN-backed deal.

Report informs via the Financial Times that President Vladimir Putin had proposed a replacement initiative whereby Qatar would pay Moscow to ship Russian grain to Türkiye, which would then distribute the crop to "countries in need".

Russia is expected to push its proposal at a summit with African leaders in St Petersburg next week and when Putin visits Türkiye in August.

“Last time they were mooting this [idea], we had very strong suspicions that the grain would effectively be grain stolen from Ukraine," a senior EU official said.