MOSCOW, August 31. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin guaranteed Russia would fully compensate the portion of grain dispatched from Ukraine to the poorest countries under the grain deal, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during talks with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan.

"President Putin guaranteed that the portion of the Ukrainian grain sent to the needed countries during the Black Sea Initiative functioning time, and this is less than 3% of the total volume of exported Ukrainian product, would be fully compensated by us," Lavrov said.

The Russian Foreign Minister also quoted Putin’s words regarding free of charge provision of 50,000 metric tons of grain to each of six poorest African nations. "We will also pay overheads and supply expenses," Lavrov said. "Furthermore, an initiative is being discussed that we will provide one million metric tons of grain in the context of the possible project of Russia, Turkey, and Qatar," he added.