The Russia-Africa Summit: Food Security and Geopolitical Pressure

The Russia-Africa summit has commenced in St. Petersburg, bringing together leaders from across the continent to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. One of the key topics of discussion revolves around Russia's recent decision to abandon the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which allowed for the export of 30 million tons of food from Ukraine to Africa. While Putin attempts to assure African leaders that this move does not pose a threat to global food security, concerns have been raised among the African nations heavily reliant on these grain exports for their food supply.

Many view Putin's decision to abandon the grain deal as a means to exert pressure on Ukraine and showcase Russia's determination in the ongoing conflict. As the summit unfolds, African leaders have an opportunity to leverage their collective voice and urge Putin to reconsider rejoining the grain deal, thereby ensuring the stability of their food supplies.

Should Putin refuse to rejoin the deal, other major grain importers such as Turkey and China could potentially utilize their diplomatic leverage to persuade him. Additionally, the West could consider providing Ukraine with longer-range missiles, which would exert pressure on Russia and potentially lead to the resumption of the grain deal.

Overall, Putin's decision to abandon the grain deal is seen as a sign that he is feeling the pressure and running out of options in the conflict with Ukraine. The Russia-Africa summit serves as a crucial platform for African leaders to address these concerns and advocate for the resumption of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, ensuring the stability of food supplies for their nations.

Russia’s axeing of the Black Sea grain deal reveals a war machine running out of options. We explore how to get the deal back on track. A month-long mystery surrounding China’s absent foreign minister has grown deeper: now his memory is being scrubbed from official websites (10:15). And literary criticism has lost its claws—gaining a newfound civility that is bad for readers (16:37).

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