"Putin and Ramaphosa: Grain Deals and Awkward BRICs Summit"

Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the expiring Black Sea grain deal and the upcoming BRICS summit with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa, as the host of the summit, faces an awkward situation due to an arrest warrant issued against Putin by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The warrant obliges ICC member states, including South Africa, to arrest Putin if he enters their territory. The Kremlin has not yet confirmed if Putin will attend the summit. The phone call also touched on an African peace initiative for Ukraine and the need for a permanent solution to the movement of grain from Russia and Ukraine. Putin reiterated that commitments to remove obstacles to Russian food and fertilizer exports had not been fulfilled, casting doubt on the renewal of the grain deal.