Russia worsening global food crisis by targeting wheat stocks, EU says

Brussels has accused Moscow of worsening a world meals disaster by concentrating on wheat shares and stopping exports from Ukrainian ports.

EU international coverage chief Josep Borrell mentioned Russia’s warships had been blockading ships filled with wheat and “bombing and destroying shares of wheat and stopping this wheat from being exported.”

“They’re bombing Ukrainian cities and frightening starvation on the earth. They’re frightening starvation on the earth by blocking the exports of wheat and by destroying the storage of wheat in Ukraine,” he added, urging folks to not blame sanctions.

The bloc’s high diplomat was talking following a gathering of EU international affairs ministers in Luxembourg the place they mentioned ending Europe’s reliance on oil and gasoline as a part of a sixth package deal of sanctions.

An settlement on additional sanctions was not anticipated, nor was it reached, however Borrell mentioned “nothing was off the desk”.

“In the present day no determination was taken, only a dialogue,” he mentioned.

However he added it was essential to begin discussing oil, because it was simpler to exchange than gasoline and is price extra.

“Final yr, 2021, the invoice for oil was 4 occasions larger than the invoice for gasoline,” Borrell advised reporters.

Though a number of member states akin to Poland, the Baltics, Eire and the Netherlands are calling for an vitality embargo, he mentioned the influence of the conflict is having totally different results on jap and western Europe.

“That is an uneven shock to EU member states,” he mentioned. “It needs to be managed with solidarity and unity.”

Borrell additionally mentioned that mobilising cash from the European Peace Facility was key for Ukraine now and reiterated the bloc’s willingness to supply cash for deadly, defensive weapons.