The European Union called on Russia to reconsider its decision to withdraw from the "grain deal". This was stated by the head of the EU Foreign Office Josep Borrell.
Russia's decision to suspend participation in the 'grain deal' threatens a major export route for much-needed grains and fertilizers to overcome the global food crisis caused by its war against Ukraine, Borrell wrote.
Earlier, the Joe Biden administration accused Russia of using food supplies as a "weapon" in the conflict with Ukraine. Biden himself called the decision to suspend the deal "absolutely outrageous" and said it would lead to world hunger. He stressed that Russia has no reason for such a decision.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called on all parties to renew the agreement. “Any Russian move to disrupt this critical grain export is essentially a statement that people and families around the world should pay more for food or go hungry. By suspending this agreement, Russia is once again turning food into weapons in the war it unleashed,” he said.
Russia suspended participation in the agreement on unblocking Ukrainian ports for an indefinite period, and notified the UN about this. Russia called the reason for this "massive air and sea strikes" on the ships of the Russian Federation that were on duty in the area of the "grain corridor".
The British Ministry of Defense called this accusation "a lie of epic proportions" aimed at diverting attention from the "catastrophic situation with the illegal invasion of Ukraine."
