The Russia-Ukraine Conflict Continues; How is This Affecting the Global Food Supplies?

Vasili Nebenzya, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, walked out of a Security Council meeting early this week after European Council President Charles Michel accused the Kremlin of weaponizing food supplies in a heated exchange.

As specified in a report from The Wall Street Journal, "European officials blamed Moscow for a looming global food crisis" as the blockade of Ukrainian ports or Russia is threatening the gain exports of the country while combating rages in the east.

Josep Borrell, the European Union foreign-policy chief, cast doubt as well on the claims of Russia that it is not hindering grain export, citing reports that Moscow struck the second-biggest grain terminal of Ukraine in the southern port city of Mykolaiv last weekend.

The southern command of the Ukraine military said Russia had fired cruise missiles from over the Black Sea toward Mykolaiv on Sunday. According to the command, a pair of missiles were shot down, although others hit port facilities, as well as grain storage silos.

Russia's Blockade of Ukrainian Wheat via Ports

In a Twitter post, Borrell said in light of the said reports, the disinformation spread by Russian President Vladimir Putin deflecting blame has become ever more cynical.

Putin has rejected previous accusations that Moscow is hindering exports of Ukrainian wheat. He said it was up to Ukraine to determine Black Sea ports and that Russia was all set to export Ukrainian wheat via ports it's now controlling on the adjacent Aozof Sea.

Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, said Tuesday that demining would enable ships to load grain and proceed towards international waters even with their help.

He added, that entering the ports would undergo checks to guarantee they were not carrying weapons. Peskov also said the Russian side would not use "demined corridors for any offensive operations against seaside cities."

Moreover, Russian officials have already expressed willingness to ease the blockade if sanctions on Moscow were lifted. On the other hand, Ukraine questioned if Russia could be trusted, and the United States and the United Kingdom officials voiced early resistance to such a deal.

As for the Russian offers to ease exports of grain, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said, "Swearing that it does not want a food crisis."

Ukraine Provides Humanitarian Food Aid in Crisis and Conflict Zones

According to a CBS News report, President Zelenskyy has said the mountain of stall could triple in size by his fall unless the blockade of the city by Russian forces ends.

The same report also specified that much of the humanitarian food aid distributed in crisis and conflict zones had come from Ukraine before the Russian invasion started in February, also reported on CNN. Ukraine has long provided wheat and corn to some of the world's neediest populations.

Now, Chris Livesay, a CBS News correspondent, said many more of the nation's wheat fields had been reduced to minefields or active battlefields. He added that those brave enough to continue working the land are risking their lives so others can eat.

A report about Russia's weaponizing of food supplies is shown on Reuter's YouTube video below:

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