MOSCOW
President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia will continue its role as a “responsible” supplier of grain to Africa.
“Russia will continue to play the role of a responsible supplier of grain crops to Africa; we will do so, as before, on both a contractual and a gratuitous basis,” Putin told a news conference with his Burundian counterpart Evariste Ndayishimiye in Moscow, following the Third Russia-Africa Summit.
Saying that Moscow is committed to building a “truly strategic, multifaceted” partnership with African countries, Putin said their countries are “natural partners in the process of shaping a new, fairer, multipolar world.”
Putin said Russia and Africa maintain close foreign policy coordination and work through bilateral and multilateral channels, including the UN, and that the continent should be represented permanently on the UN Security Council.
“Together, we are doing everything we can to strengthen the role of African states in world affairs, and we advocate for ensuring more equitable representation for Africans within the global decision-making system, including the UN Security Council and international financial institutions,” he said.
Putin said the two-day summit, which began Wednesday, discussed cooperation on energy in detail, with many African leaders highlighting Moscow’s contributions to developing national energy systems across the continent.
He said Russia consistently works to meet the growing demand of African economies for hydrocarbon fuels and addresses other related needs.
“Large-scale power sector projects are being implemented with the involvement of Russian companies. This encompasses not only traditional methods of power generation but also nuclear energy,” said Putin.
He also said that Moscow sees significant interest from African countries in large-scale power plants and small modular nuclear reactors, and that Russia is ready for “collaborative work.”
Phone call with Finnish, Norwegian leaders
On his recent phone call with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, Putin said that the two emphasized they took part in the conversation in their capacity as national leaders.
“I know that they subsequently faced some criticism, but it is not for us to judge whether that was right or wrong. In my view, it was the right thing to do. After all, there are people in Europe who – unlike some others – do not seek to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, but rather wish to establish some form of constructive dialogue,” Putin said.
Putin added that a number of issues were raised during the phone call, noting that Russia supports any steps to restore full-fledged relations with European countries.
He also said that Russia is ready for any potential conflict with Europe but does seek one.
“If anyone wishes to, let them prepare – the fact remains that they have not achieved their goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia, and it is highly unlikely that this will be possible by 2030,” Putin stated, adding that there would be “no winners at all” from such a conflict.
He added that Moscow is also ready to respond to any challenge in the Baltic Sea, but does not want to create tensions in the region.
