STOCKHOLM: There is no other solution to the global food crisis than the prompt reintegration of both Russia and Ukraine into global food markets, despite the military conflict between the two countries, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said. Speaking at a press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, he stressed that \u201ca quick and decisive action\u201d was needed to avoid food shortages i.e. \u201clifting export restrictions, allocating surpluses and reserves to vulnerable populations and addressing food price increases to calm market volatility.\u201d \u201cBut let me be frank: There is no effective solution to the food crisis without reintegrating Ukraine\u2019s food production, as well as of the food and fertilizers produced by Russia into world markets despite the war,\u201d Guterres said. He emphasised that the UN was doing everything it could to promote dialogue on the matter. TLTP
\nAccording to Guterres, two UN teams are working to secure a \u201cpackage deal\u201d which would ensure the \u201csafe and secure export\u201d of Ukrainian-produced food along with Russian food and fertilizers via the Black Sea to global markets, especially to \u201cdeveloping countries.\u201d
\nOn Tuesday, Secretary General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development Rebeca Grynspan visited Moscow, where she had \u201cconstructive discussions\u201d on food and fertilizer exports with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov. She then traveled to Washington to discuss the same issue.
\nGuterres\u2019 remarks came as Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov issued a warning that the world was now \u201cpotentially on the verge of a very deep food crisis\u201d which, according to him, was caused by \u201cillegal restrictions\u201d imposed on Russia. Peskov also blamed Ukrainian authorities for deploying mines in Black Sea ports that have made navigation unsafe.
\nEarlier this week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of creating the \u201cthreat of famine.\u201d
\n\u201cDue to the fact that Russia has blocked our ports in the Black Sea and seized our part of the coast of the Sea of Azov, we cannot export 22 million tons of grain that are already in warehouses in our country. This is the volume that was to enter the foreign market,\u201d he said.
\nThe Russian military, however, says two corridors \u2013 one in the Black Sea and another in the Azov Sea \u2013 are available for civilian traffic.
\nThe global food market, already affected by climate change and the Covid pandemic, was dealt another blow due to the Russian military offensive in Ukraine, as the two countries account for about 30% of global wheat exports. Russia is also the world\u2019s largest exporter of fertilizers.
\nWhile the West has accused Russia of causing a surge in food prices by continuing its military operation, Moscow maintains that the real cause of the food crisis is the \u201cpolitically motivated\u201d Western sanctions against it.
\nRussia attacked the neighboring state in late February, following Ukraine\u2019s failure to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements, first signed in 2014, and Moscow\u2019s eventual recognition of the Donbass republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. The German- and French-brokered Minsk Protocol was designed to give the breakaway regions special status within the Ukrainian state.
\nThe Kremlin has since demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join the US-led NATO military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked and has denied claims it was planning to retake the two republics by force.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
STOCKHOLM: There is no other solution to the global food crisis than the prompt reintegration of both Russia and Ukraine into global food markets, despite the military conflict between the two countries, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said. Speaking at a press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, he stressed that \u201ca quick and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-264188","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-business"},"yoast_head":"\n