MOSCOW, July 15. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa discussed bilateral and international issues during their phone talk on Saturday, the Kremlin press office reported on Saturday.

The phone talk was held at the initiative of the South African side, the Kremlin press office specified.

The Russian leader told his South African counterpart during the phone talk that obstacles still persisted for Russian exports under the Black Sea grain shipment deal, the Kremlin press office said.

"During the discussion of the Istanbul package accords, Vladimir Putin stressed that the commitments sealed in the corresponding Russia-UN memorandum for removing obstacles to the export of Russian food and mineral fertilizer still remained unfulfilled. Moreover, the main goal of the deal, namely, the shipment of grain to needy countries, including those on the African continent, has not been implemented," the Kremlin press office said, following the talks between the two leaders.

The South African leader informed Putin during their phone talk about preparations for the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, the Kremlin press office reported.

"The South African president informed about the preparations for the BRICS summit scheduled in Johannesburg for August 22-24," it said.

The Russian leader and his South African counterpart also discussed the African peace initiative on Ukraine during their phone talk, the Kremlin press office reported.

"Cyril Ramaphosa thanked for the warm reception and constructive talk on the possible ways of settling the Ukraine situation during the June visit by the leaders and representatives of some African states to St. Petersburg," the Kremlin press office said.

"The discussion of the African peace initiative will be continued as part of the Russia-Africa summit in late July," the statement reads.

Russian President Putin and his South African counterpart Ramaphosa agreed during their phone talk to hold a separate meeting at the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg to exchange opinions on bilateral and international issues, the Kremlin press office reported.

"Vladimir Putin and Cyril Ramaphosa also agreed to hold a separate meeting at the [Russia-Africa] summit for a substantive exchange of opinions on bilateral and international issues," the press office said

"The leaders reaffirmed their mutual willingness to strengthen cooperation in various fields," the press office said.