The Russian Federation is blocking grain and oilseeds imports from Ukrainian seaports with its warships, thus using the "bread" blockade as a weapon of war, and its foreign policy methods should be known in other countries. EU diplomacy chief Josep Borrell said this in an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche newspaper when asked why many African and Middle Eastern countries believe that European sanctions, and not the maritime blockade of the Black Sea by Russia, hinder agro-export from Ukraine.
"The EU does not ban exports of Ukrainian or Russian grain or fertilizers. But who bombs the granaries, who destroys the crops or steals them? Is it the EU or Russia? Who is blocking Ukrainian ports with its warships, the EU or Russia? But I repeat, Russia is using the bread blockade as a weapon of war, everyone should know about it. And if large stocks of grain and oilseeds cannot leave Ukrainian ports, yes, there will be a famine in the world," he told the publication.
Borrell also said that UN agencies, including the World Food Program (FAO), should negotiate with Russia to facilitate the unblocking of agro-exports from Ukraine.
"A UN Security Council resolution could help, but since the Russians are a permanent member, there is no certainty that a solution will come from there. I agree with the president of Senegal when he says that he still hears, especially from Putin in Sochi, good words, but nothing happens," Borrell said.
The head of the EU diplomacy reminded that before the harvest of the current season, Ukraine must sell 20 million tons of last year's crops, for which "entire railroad trains and thousands of river barges will not be enough".
