Russian shelling of Odesa port will lead to global food crisis - Borrell

20.07.2023 11:02

Ukrinform

Russia's targeted shelling of the port infrastructure in Odesa, which has been going on for the third night in a row, as well as Russia's deliberate destruction of grain stocks intended for export, are barbaric acts that will lead to a large-scale food crisis in the world.

EU High Representative Josep Borrell said this in Brussels on July 20 before a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"Today, we are going to discuss the situation in Ukraine. We will have Minister Kuleba [Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in a teleconference mode] but at the moment, for the third night, Russia bombs and destroys all the port infrastructure in Odesa and the storage of grain. More than 60,000 tonnes of grain have been burned. So, they [the Russians] not only withdrew from the grain agreement in order to export grain from Ukraine, but they are burning this grain," Borrell said.

He noted that these massive aerial attacks against the Odesa port infrastructure, which have been going on for the third night in a row, are causing not only civilian casualties, but also extensive destruction of grain warehouses located there. These barbaric actions by Russia will be taken into account today during the Council meeting, he said. European government officials expect to receive more information during their conversation with Ukrainian Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

"What we already know is that this is going to create a big, huge food crisis in the world. This grain is not only stuck [in warehouses], but destroyed. It means that there will be a shortage of food, of grain in the world," he added.

According to Borrell, European ministers and Minister Kuleba will discuss how to continue support for Ukraine, including in the long run, which includes long-term security commitments and guarantees to Ukraine from the EU.

"This means an increase in the resources of the European Peace Facility. We presented a plan in order to ensure financial support for Ukraine in the next [few] years, with a significant amount of money. I hope the ministers will support it. I don't want to give the figure right now, because I want to prefer to have first the political agreement of the ministers. But it's clear that we will have to engage more with Ukraine having stable instruments. Because Ukraine will need support not month by month, but in the long term, through structured and continued support," Borrell said.