Von der Leyen accuses Russia of creating a food crisis by using crops as a weapon of war

BRUSSELS, 24 May. (EUROPE PRESS) -

The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, accused the Russian regime of Vladimir Putin on Tuesday of fomenting an international food crisis for using the destruction of crops and confiscation of cereal crops in Ukraine as a weapon of war.

"We see Russia turning its energy supply into a weapon, with repercussions throughout the world. Unfortunately, it is the same scenario that we see drawing out in food security," Von der Leyen defended in a speech during his participation in the Economic Forum of Davos.

The head of the Community Executive has thus criticized the fact that the Kremlin is "using hunger and wheat to establish its power", with a strategy that includes the destruction of Ukrainian agricultural fields but also the suspension of its own exports of food production to make raise world market prices.

"Today, Russian artillery deliberately bombs grain silos throughout Ukraine and Russian warships block Ukrainian ships full of grain and sunflower seeds in the Black Sea," Von der Leyen denounced, later accusing Moscow of using its own contingents as "blackmail" and offering wheat "in exchange for political support".

The former German minister also recalled that it is the most fragile countries and the most vulnerable populations that suffer the greatest impact from the consequences of the lack of food and has called for greater collaboration at the global level to mobilize efforts to bring cereals to international markets.

The EU is working to establish "solidarity corridors" that help transport essential goods and connect the Ukrainian border with European ports, he said.

Some 20 million tons of cereal remain blocked in Ukraine, according to data offered by Von der Leyen, who has also indicated that while wheat exports reached 5 million tons per month in the past, now it is barely between 200,000 and one million tons.