The Kremlin has confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa have held a telephone call in which they discussed a number of issues including the soon to expire grain deal and next month’s BRICS summit in South Africa.
The two leaders discussed the Black Sea grain deal and an African peace initiative on Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Saturday.
On the grain deal, which expires on Monday, Putin reiterated to Ramaphosa that commitments to remove obstacles to Russian food and fertiliser exports had not yet been fulfilled, the Kremlin said.
South Africa, as a signatory of the Rome Statute, is obliged to arrest Putin if he arrives in South Africa.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant in March this year for Putin over the alleged deportation of thousands of Ukrainian children by invading Russian forces.
Wire service Reuters reports that Putin’s possible attendance at the BRICS summit is delicate for both countries because of the arrest warrant.
The Kremlin has yet to say publicly if Putin will attend the summit.
In today’s statement, it said Ramaphosa had briefed Putin about preparations for the event, but did not give details of their exchange.
African leaders urge Russian President Vladimir Putin to settle Russia’s conflict with Ukraine:
