Russia is demanding easing of sanctions to allow it to release Ukrainian wheat from the blacklisted Black Sea ports. The United States sees the action as blackmail.
The United States accuses Russia of blackmail as demand for Ukrainian wheat from the Black Sea increases to the world. The famine threatening the poorest countries in particular has been feared since the Russian invasion began.
Ukrainian authorities have warned that Russia is also stealing wheat and working to bring about a local famine.
Russia announced yesterday on Thursday that it could negotiate a blockade of Ukrainian ports if Western countries are willing to ease economic sanctions.
“The Russian administration seems to think that using food as a weapon will achieve a goal that the attack did not achieve – that is, breaking the fighting spirit of the Ukrainians,” Blinken said.
– The Russian army has hijacked food supplies for millions of Ukrainians and millions around the world.
Russia and Ukraine produce about a third of the world’s export wheat and more than two-thirds of sunflower oil.
“Opportunities to guarantee enough food”
Former President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev announced on Thursday that the country is ready to negotiate wheat exports but is demanding easing sanctions in return.
– Countries that import our wheat and other food products are in big trouble without Russian trade. Without our fertilizers, only weeds will grow in the fields of Europe and the rest of the world, Medvedev reported in the Telegram application.
– We have every opportunity to guarantee that there is enough food in other countries to prevent food crises. No one should interfere with our work.
According to The Guardian, the United States has considered supplying powerful long-range anti-personnel missiles to Ukraine to break the blockade. However, there are fears that if the Russian Black Sea Fleet were to be destroyed with such weapons, the war would worsen further.
According to Ukraine, the country’s wheat exports fell from 5 million tons per month in March to 200,000 tons in March and 1.1 million tons in April.