“Russia supports the establishment of closer cooperation within the BRICS for a reliable and uninterrupted supply of energy and food resources to world markets,” Putin said during a videoconference speech at the meeting. summit taking place in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Putin stressed that Moscow increases the supply of fuel, agricultural products and fertilizers to the countries of the South and contributes to the strengthening of global food and energy security and the fight against poverty and hunger in the most needy countries.

In this regard, he insisted that his country is capable of replacing Ukrainian cereals in the world, both commercially and in the form of donations, that is, in the form of humanitarian aid.

The Russian president reiterated the promise made at the recent Russia-Africa summit, held in St. Petersburg, to send between 25,000 and 50,000 tonnes of grain to six African countries.

“The talks with the partners are already over,” he said, stressing that Russia had had “a magnificent harvest” this year.

The Russian leader again insisted that the Kremlin was ready to return to the Black Sea initiative on grain exports if all its conditions were met, and again accused the West of obstructing the Russian grain and fertilizer supply since the start of the war in Ukraine. months ago.

After Russia abandoned the existing agreement in mid-July, Ukraine began to look for new export routes for its grain and a first ship has already left the port of Odessa in the direction of the Strait of Bosphorus.

Putin also pointed out that the five BRICS countries exceed the G7 countries (Germany, Canada, United States, France, Italy, Japan and United Kingdom) “in purchasing power parity” and considered the renunciation “irreversible”. to the dollar in exchanges and transfers. between Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

“As a result, the dollar’s participation in export and import transactions within the BRICS has declined. Last year, it was only 28.7 percent,” he said.

Apart from the enlargement of the group, the BRICS summit is also expected to discuss “de-dollarization” among member countries by opting for their respective national currencies, similar to the ongoing policy that India intends to exploit with the Indian rupee. . , or possibly via a “single currency” as advocated by the President of Brazil, Lula da Silva.

Pretoria has invited more than 60 southern leaders to the event, which is taking place in Sandton, north of Johannesburg, including Cuban Presidents Miguel Díaz-Canel and Bolivian President Luis Arce as part of police “security maximum”. Africa (SAPS) and Army (SANDF).

Putin is largely absent from the Johannesburg summit, where he decided not to go for fear of being arrested following the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Ukraine.

The Russian delegation is led by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who has made several trips to the African continent over the past two years seeking support for Moscow’s policies.