When Russia solemnly promised “free” grain to six African countries in 2023, the Kremlin framed it as an act of humanity. Behind this “generosity,” however, lies a calculated geopolitical game in which wheat is supplied in exchange for gold, uranium, loyalty in UN votes, and support for its aggressive war against Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukraine — despite an exhausting war and a dire security situation — continues to ship grain through international humanitarian channels to those who are truly dying of hunger. The contrast between these two approaches is stark, and it deserves close examination.
Before February 2022, Ukraine fed 400 million people around the world every year, supplying more than 15% of global corn exports, 10% of wheat, 15–20% of barley, and more than half of the world’s sunflower oil. When Russia blockaded Ukrainian ports, global food prices surged, pushing millions of people in Africa to the brink of survival. It is precisely this artificially created famine that Moscow is now trying to leverage, offering its resources in exchange for political concessions.
In contrast to Russia, Ukraine launched the “Grain from Ukraine” programme, which operates on the principles of full accountability. More than 30 donor countries contribute funds used to purchase grain directly from Ukrainian farmers and send it where it is needed most. By early 2026, hundreds of thousands of tonnes of food had already been delivered to Kenya, Ethiopia, and Nigeria; aid flows through UN channels directly to people in schools and hospitals, eliminating corruption and the enrichment of local officials. In 2025–2026, the programme’s geography expanded even to Latin America. All shipments are documented, reporting is public, and every bag is tracked to its final recipient. Donors include the United Kingdom ($6 million), Canada ($30 million), France ($20 million), the Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, and South Korea — a genuine international consortium united by a common purpose, in which partners commit to organising last-mile delivery while Ukraine coordinates logistics and volumes with Ukrainian producers.
It should be noted that Russia spent years carefully cultivating its influence across Africa. When, in July 2023, Vladimir Putin solemnly announced at the Saint Petersburg summit the supply of 25,000–50,000 tonnes of “free” wheat to six countries — Somalia, the Central African Republic, Mali, Burkina Faso, Eritrea, and Zimbabwe — it appeared to be a generous gesture. Experts described the volumes as “insignificant for Africa’s actual needs.” Moreover, grain is for Moscow merely an “entry ticket” to the continent; the real target is Africa’s natural resources. In Mali, after Russia deployed its African Corps, the local junta rewrote mining legislation: Russia can now acquire a 10% stake in any project and purchase an additional 20% within two years, while Rosatom’s subsidiary Uranium One has simultaneously concluded agreements to develop uranium and lithium in Mali. In the Central African Republic, the Kremlin granted the Touadéra government full security cover in exchange for access to diamond and gold mines and has already extracted more than $2.5 billion in return.
The contrast between the two models is striking. Ukrainian grain, channelled through the UN World Food Programme (WFP), reaches schools, hospitals, and camps for displaced persons. Russian grain, by contrast, is handed to governments — the juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso, and the CAR — and what happens to those shipments afterwards is unknown; no transparent distribution system or independent verification exists. For many countries, dependence on Russian exports thus becomes a trap, since the Kremlin does not hesitate to use bread as a tool of blackmail ahead of key votes. Ukrainian grain, on the other hand, is perceived as a commercial and humanitarian product that allows importing countries to preserve their sovereignty and avoid feeling like hostages to someone else’s ambitions. Even under missile strikes on Odessa’s port infrastructure, Ukraine proves that it is a reliable partner that honours its commitments under any circumstances.
For the European Union, the stability of the African continent is a matter of its own security: the global food instability provoked by Moscow’s aggressive policy directly generates waves of migration and undermines the economic resilience of member states. Rather than colonial-style bartering of bread for resources, the EU seeks to build a model of sustainable partnership, and supporting responsible suppliers such as Ukraine serves as a safeguard against the use of grain to manipulate the policies of African nations.