Kremlin Blames West for Triggering Global Food Crisis Through Sanctions, According to Reuters

LONDON (Reuters) – The Kremlin stated on Monday that the West has instigated a global food crisis by imposing unprecedented sanctions on Russia due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The war, along with Western efforts to isolate Russia as retribution, has driven prices of grain, cooking oil, fertilizers, and energy to record highs.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres revealed on Wednesday that he has been in close communication with Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, the United States, and the European Union to restore grain exports from Ukraine as the global food situation deteriorates.

Russian President Vladimir Putin concurred with the U.N.’s assessment that the world is facing a food crisis that risks leading to famine.

“Russia has always been a dependable grain exporter,” stated Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. “We are not the origin of this problem. The true source of global hunger lies with those who imposed sanctions against us and the sanctions themselves.”

Together, Russia and Ukraine supply nearly a third of the world’s wheat. Ukraine is also a significant exporter of corn, barley, sunflower oil, and rapeseed oil, while Russia and Belarus—an ally in the conflict and also under sanctions—account for over 40% of global potash exports.

The U.N. has indicated that 36 countries rely on Russia and Ukraine for over half of their wheat imports, including some of the world’s poorest nations, such as Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Kremlin has claimed that Ukraine has made commercial shipping impossible by mining its waters. Ukraine has lost several key seaports, including Kherson and Mariupol, to Russian control and is concerned that Russia may attempt to capture Odesa next.

Peskov mentioned that Russia has not obstructed Ukraine from exporting grain to Poland by rail—a significantly slower method—despite the West sending military supplies in the opposite direction.

An official from a U.N. food agency noted two weeks ago that approximately 25 million tonnes of grain are trapped in Ukraine due to infrastructure challenges and the blockade of seaports.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Russia on Thursday of using food as a weapon, holding supplies “hostage” not only for Ukrainians but also for millions globally.