Annalena Baerbock accuses Russia of "grain warfare" - and appeals to Turkey

Created: 05/19/2022, 07:27

By: Nail Akkoyun

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock accuses Russia of using food as a weapon of war.

She also reminds Turkey of its responsibility as a NATO member.

New York – Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has accused Russia of using the blockade of grain exports from Ukraine as a weapon of war.

"Russia has started a grain war that is fueling a global food crisis," Baerbock (Greens) said Wednesday (May 19) during a foreign ministers' meeting at the United Nations in New York.

Moscow does this by not only blockading Ukrainian ports, but also destroying silos, roads, railways and fields.

According to the federal government, Russia is preventing Ukraine from exporting 20 million tons of grain, most of it in the port of Odessa.

Secretary of State Annalena Baerbock at the United Nations meeting in New York on Wednesday (May 18).

© Thomas Imo/Imago

“Russia is waging its brutal war not only with tanks, rockets and bombs.

Russia is waging this war with another terrible and quieter weapon: hunger and deprivation,” Baerbock said.

This is happening at a time when millions of people in the Middle East and Africa are already at risk of starvation - due to the climate crisis, the corona pandemic and regional conflicts.

The export of grain via the Ukrainian seaports has come to a standstill because of the Ukraine war.

This threatens deliveries to North Africa and Asia in particular.

Baerbock appeals to Turkey: "Everyone knows their responsibility"

The Greens politician also commented on the NATO accession process of Finland and Sweden - and appealed to Turkey's sense of responsibility: "I think at this moment everyone knows the responsibility they have in such a difficult situation," she replied Annalena Baerbock in response to a question from the press, without explicitly naming Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is currently blocking a possible accession of the two Scandinavian countries.

The government in Ankara blamed security concerns over the alleged support of both countries for the banned Kurdish Workers' Party PKK and the Kurdish militia YPG in Syria.

It is unclear how Turkey is to be prevented from vetoing Sweden and Finland from joining NATO.

According to diplomats, in addition to declarations by the northern countries on the fight against terrorism, arms deals or other concessions hoped for by Turkey could also play a role.

(nak/dpa)

According to a survey, Annalena Baerbock is currently the most popular politician in Germany.

This puts her ahead of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, among others.