The Russian Embassy in the United States has criticized statements made by the US government regarding the current global food security situation and Russia’s alleged role in it.
Pointing to a US State Department release about the “disinformation campaign” purportedly being waged by Russia against the international community regarding the situation on global food markets, the embassy dismissed the “absurd accusations” leveled against Russia, such as the supposed blockage of Ukrainian grain exports, theft of agricultural products, and weaponization of global famine.
“We call upon Washington to move away from demagoguery and empty promises towards dealing with real obstacles on the way to strengthening global food security,” the embassy stated. “The Russian Federation is one of the largest food suppliers in the world. We are interested in the stabilization of the markets and intend to apply all the effort necessary to achieve it.”
The embassy pointed out that negative processes on the food market started long before the launch of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, and that further breakdowns in agricultural product supply chains occurred after the United States and its allies enacted “suicidal sanctions” against Russia.
Until supply chains for food, fertilizers, and raw materials required for fertilizer production are restored, the situation in the agricultural sphere is unlikely to return to normal, the embassy explained.
The United States and its allies imposed several rounds of economic sanctions on Russia after the latter launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
The sanctions, however, backfired against the very countries that imposed them and have also had a detrimental effect on the international supply of grain and other agricultural products, as shipments from both Russia and Ukraine effectively ended up being disrupted.
The ensuing food shortages experienced by some countries amid the sanctions campaign waged by the West against Russia led the UN to express concern that a global hunger crisis may erupt this year.
The situation, however, showed tentative signs of improvement after Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia signed a UN-brokered deal in Istanbul on July 22 to resume grain exports through Ukrainian ports and clear the way for Russian food and fertilizers to access global markets.