The war in Ukraine – – a hostage of humanity

In mid-July, the much-discussed grain agreement between the United Nations and Russia expired. The agreement allowed Ukraine to safely export grain to world markets through the Black Sea.

The agreement caused grain prices to drop dramatically in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the United Nations emergency aid official, Martin Griffiths, described the agreement as a success. But after the agreement expired, grain prices rose again and Griffiths sounded the alarm during a UN Security Council meeting on Friday, he wrote. Watchman.

He says that only the poorest people in the world will have to pay the price.

For many of these 362 million people, it is not about grief or frustration, but about threatening their future and the future of their children and families. Many more could die as a result of these decisions, Griffiths says.

A political game

Several ambassadors during the meeting claimed that Russia is making money by not making a new deal.

– Russian exporters are already benefiting from this, while millions of people who cannot afford expensive grain are suffering, especially in the Middle East and Africa, said US Ambassador Linda Thomas Greenfield.

Call it a political game:

They export more grain than ever before, at higher prices. Russia is simply using the Black Sea as blackmail. They are playing a political game and holding humanity hostage.

Supports British Ambassador Thomas Greenfield.

– The last demand of Russia is the same as the demand to take hostage the starving world. British Ambassador Barbara Woodward said that food is not a weapon.

Not in conversations with anyone

Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergey Vershinin, believes that only a small percentage of Ukraine’s grain exports go to the world’s poorest countries and that Russian farmers lost money because of the agreement.

Versjenen said on Friday that they are trying to find new ways to export grain, but that they have not been in talks with anyone about a grain agreement.

However, Turkey says it is trying to persuade Russia to join the deal. Along with the United Nations, Turkey played a crucial role in concluding the grain agreement last summer.

– I think we will be able to ensure the continuation of the agreement by discussing the issues in detail with Putin, says Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Only if all Russian demands are met can they join the new agreement, according to Vershinin.

He accuses Ukraine of using the grain corridor for combative purposes. Russia has previously stated that it assumes that ships sailing to Ukraine have weapons on board, and that countries flagging ships sailing to Ukrainian ports will henceforth be considered parties to the conflict on the Ukrainian side.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken with Erdogan about reviving the grain pact, NTB writes.

– Opening the grain aisle has absolute priority. Together, we must prevent a global food crisis, Zelensky said on Friday after a phone conversation with Erdogan.

– Because of Russia’s actions, the world is once again on the verge of a food crisis. A total of 400 million people in several countries in Africa and Asia are at risk of starvation, Zelensky says.