Charles Michel: Russia's blocking of Ukrainian grain exports puts 250M people at risk of starvation

President of the European Council Charles Michel stated this in New Delhi during a press conference before the G20 meeting, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Right now, Russia continues to attack a sovereign state, Ukraine, killing people and destroying its cities. That's why the EU will continue to stand firmly behind Ukraine and put increasing pressure on Russia. The Kremlin's war is affecting lives far beyond Ukraine, including in South Asia. More than 250 million people are facing acute food insecurity, Michel said.

He noted that the Kremlin, by deliberately attacking Ukrainian ports, is depriving millions of people around the world of the food they desperately need.

It is a scandalous situation when Russia, after destroying the Black Sea Grain Initiative, blocks and attacks Ukrainian seaports. This must stop, ships must have free access to the Black Sea and deliver 32 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain to the market, especially to developing countries, at the initiative of António Guterres and the UN. In this context, the Kremlin's proposal to provide one million tonnes of grain for Africa is absolutely cynical, the President of the European Council emphasized.

He reminded that the EU, for its part, is stepping up its efforts to provide alternative export routes for Ukrainian food. According to Michel, 41 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain have so far been exported through the solidarity lanes that were organized at the EU's initiative across Ukraine's land border.

As reported, on Saturday, September 9, a two-day G20 meeting begins in New Delhi, during which world leaders will discuss, among other things, Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and its consequences for the world economy and global security.