The European Union’s executive body said on Tuesday (24th) that there is “a lot of evidence” that Russia is stealing wheat from Ukraine or destroying stocks, which risks exacerbating the food crisis on the planet.
“Putin is using the food issue as a weapon, his influence is felt not only in Ukraine, but also in Africa and Asia. We have no doubt that Russian troops are stealing Ukrainian wheat or destroying stocks, there is a lot of evidence,” he said. a. European Commission spokesman, but without providing evidence.
“We can’t say what we want to do to resolve this situation because there is a war going on but there are discussions about how to intervene,” he said.
The alleged theft of wheat had already been condemned by Ukraine itself, where foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba urged countries not to buy grains taken by Russia.
US broadcaster CNN published satellite photos showing two Russian ships loading wheat in the Crimean port of Sevastopol, which allegedly came from Ukraine.
“Russia is using hunger and wheat to use its power,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen accused in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday.
Russian forces closed all Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea, effectively preventing the export of the country’s grain stocks. Last week, Moscow promised to allow the passage of Ukrainian ships if it lifts sanctions on Western exports.
The UN has already warned that this, combined with rising grain prices in the international market, risks triggering a global food crisis.
source: Noticias
