Russian President said that the West distorted the “meaning” and “essence” of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, after Moscow announced it was suspending its participation in the deal.

“The West shamelessly profited from the grain deal. It simply completely distorted the meaning of these agreements and the essence”, - said Vladimir Putin during a meeting with the government.

As he added, the deal was initially aimed at ensuring global food security and had “colossal humanitarian significance” by reducing the threat of hunger and helping the poorest countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America: “That is why Russia has assumed certain obligations to facilitate its implementation. However, this ‘deal’…was in fact used to enrich large American and European businesses exporting and reselling grain from Ukraine”.

Putin further said that Russia showed “miracles of endurance, patience and tolerance” by extending the grain deal and that Moscow expected the West to comply with its conditions, though “nothing like this happened”.