It was Moscow’s “conscious political decision to use grain exports as a weapon and an instrument of blackmail against anyone who opposes their aggression in Ukraine,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a blog post on Saturday.
“Russia has turned the Black Sea into a war zone, blocking shipments of grain and fertilizer from Ukraine and also affecting Russian merchant shipping,” Borrell said. “Russia also imposes quotas and taxes on its grain exports.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the other hand, attributes the problems with the transport of grain, seed and fertilizer and the resulting price increases on the world market primarily to Western sanctions because of the Ukraine war. He also blamed the EU and the USA and their economic policy “mistakes” for the inflation caused by high energy prices.
“We are fully aware that there is a ‘battle of narratives’ on this issue,” Borrell wrote. But the sanctions imposed by the EU “do not prohibit Russia from exporting agricultural goods, paying for such Russian exports, or providing seeds unless sanctioned persons or entities are involved.”
The EU is now working with the United Nations to enable Ukrainian grain exports, Borrell continued. “We hope that a solution can be found in the next few days. If this does not happen, there is a risk of a global food catastrophe.”
Source: Nachrichten
