"The importance of grain deliveries was emphasized [during the talks], but from Russia's point of view, primarily Russian grain to the African continent, to the poorest countries, the importance of continuing these deliveries was really stressed," Peskov told reporters.
On Chinese Foreign Affairs
The level of the Russian-Chinese strategic partnership makes us confident that Beijing's efforts to build relations with other nations are not against Moscow, stated Peskov.
“Our strategic partnership ties with China make us confident that [Beijing's] development of relations with other countries will never be directed against our country,” he said, stressing that China has sovereign right to build relations with US.
On Military Prisoners Exchange With Kiev Regime
Exchanges of military prisoners between Russian and Ukraine is a "delicate" issue that needs to be handled without unnecessary publicity, Kremlin spokesman stated.
Earlier in the day, Sputnik obtained a copy of a letter sent by Ukrainian Peace Restoration Center official Alexander Smirnov to prisoner affairs official Dmitry Usov, in which he writes that Kiev has divided its prisoners in Russian custody into several categories according to their exchange priority.
"I would prefer not to comment on the topic of exchanges. It is quite a delicate issue, a hard and meticulous work which needs to be carried out in silence," Peskov told reporters, when asked what was the Kremlin's opinion on Kiev's approach and whether Moscow had prisoners in its custody whom it would not agree to exchange due to the severity of their crimes.
The Ukrainian prisoner classification prioritizes combat-ready soldiers and officers of the nationalist Azov battalion* (banned in Russia), followed by rare military occupational specialties. Regular Ukrainian soldiers with wounds preventing them from continuing service are lowest priority, Smirnov wrote to Usov.
In August 2022, the Russian Supreme Court designated Azov as a terrorist organization. According to the Russian Prosecutor General's office, Azov militants use prohibited means and methods of warfare and are complicit in the torture of civilians and killings of children.
Astana Meeting on Syria Settlement
Dmitry Peskov urged the public not to pin too high hopes on a meeting on Syria in Astana, saying that the settlement of the crisis is a very long path.
A four-way meeting between the deputy foreign ministers of Russia, Turkiye, Syria and Iran on normalizing relations between Ankara and Damascus is being held in Astana on Tuesday.
"This is a continuation of the path, a very long path. Of course, one should not pin too high hopes, but the work continues and will continue. Russia keeps adhering to its consistent policy," spokesman said, when asked what the Kremlin expected from the negotiations on the Syrian settlement in Astana.
*The Azov battalion is an extremist organization banned in Russia.