Meeting of the G7 development ministers: Schulze accuses Putin of using hunger as a weapon

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Development Minister Svenja Schulze in Berlin: "There is a risk of famine because Putin is using hunger as a weapon."

Photo: Bernd von Jutrczenka / dpa

Development Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) has accused Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin of deliberately triggering famines: “Famines are imminent because Putin uses hunger as a weapon.

We must counter this with a new alliance for global food security,” said Schulze at a meeting of G7 development ministers in Berlin.

She called on the leading Western industrialized nations (G7) to join forces to combat famine as a result of the war in Ukraine: "The terrible consequences of Russia's war of aggression go far beyond Ukraine," declared Schulze.

Consultations on reconstruction of Ukraine

Until Thursday, the development ministers of the G7 countries will discuss current challenges ranging from the food crisis and climate change to the reconstruction of a free Ukraine, which is also a major global exporter of grain.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal will attend the session virtually.

Schulze also invited this year's G20 presidency country Indonesia, as well as India, Senegal and the head of the UN development program UNDP, Achim Steiner, and World Bank director David Malpass.

The Alliance for Global Food Security is to be officially launched at the meeting.

Schulze proposed the alliance together with Malpass in April to ensure additional funding and close coordination of food security measures.

At the beginning of the year, Germany took over the one-year presidency of the G7 from Great Britain.

The group includes Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Canada and the USA.

The European Union also takes part in the meetings of the G7.

col/dpa