Food has become part of Russia's "arsenal of terror," the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, told CNN.
In an address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, von der Leyen noted the urgent need to rebuild Ukraine's Black Sea ports as a means of solving the emerging global food crisis.
"This is Putin's cold, callous and deliberate siege on some of the most vulnerable countries and people in the world. And so now, distinguished members, food has become part of the Kremlin's arsenal of terror, and we cannot tolerate it," von der Leyen told EU lawmakers.
The head of the European Commission stressed that EU sanctions against Russia "do not affect basic foodstuffs."
"They do not affect trade in grain and other foodstuffs between Russia and third countries. And it is the port embargo that implies a complete exemption from agricultural products," she added, stressing the need to counter Russian "misinformation" about the food crisis.
