Ru FM Lavrov: Russia Ready To Get Back To Grain Deal If Conditions Met

Wires carrying comments from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, following a meeting with UN Secretary General Antonia Guterres, on the margins of the BRICS summit in South Africa, stating that, "Russia is ready to get back to the [Black Sea] grain deal if conditions are met."

• Ahead of the meeting, Lavrov told reporters there were no signs the West were honouring aspects of the deal related to Russia's exports: "For now, we don't see these signs (of grain deal implementation)."
• Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are expected to discuss Russian conditions for returning to the initiative at a meeting likely to take place in Russia next month.
• Putin, in a virtual address to the BRICS summit today, sought to downplay the impact that Russia's withdrawal from the grain initiative would have on Russian grain exports to vulnerable African states, many of whom are in attendance at the summit.
• Putin said Moscow intends to deepen ties with African countries, and would remain "a reliable partner" for food and energy supplies.