Kremlin presents proposal on food crisis - Kuleba suspects blackmail in "grain war"

Created: 05/27/2022, 05:41 am

By: Franziska Schwarz

Dmytro Kuleba at the World Economic Forum in Davos © Fabrice Coffrini/AFP

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba is demanding a comprehensive ban on imports of Russian goods from the West.

The Russian demand goes in exactly the opposite direction.

Davos/Switzerland - “My message is very simple.

Kill Russian exports”: With these words the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba addressed the West at the World Economic Forum.

"Stop buying from Russia." The West must not allow Russia to take money for its "war machine".

Only "important goods that the West needs" should be exempt from such an import freeze, Kuleba said.

Russia has already been hit with a number of international sanctions because of the Ukraine war.

So far, the Ukrainian economy has suffered "more from the Russian destruction and attacks than the Russian economy from the sanctions," said Kuleba.

"As long as Russia is making money selling oil and gas, its pockets are pretty full."

Grain crisis due to Ukraine war: Moscow calls for end of sanctions

, Kuleba accuses Moscow

of blackmailing the international community with a new proposal: In view of the food crisis caused by its war against Ukraine, the Kremlin is still insisting on easing Western sanctions - but is willing to talk.

Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko on May 25 called for the punitive measures imposed on Russia's export and financial sectors to be lifted, according to the Interfax agency.

Rudenko denied the allegation that Russia was stealing Ukrainian grain: "We're not stealing anything from anyone."

The international community has been demanding that Russia allow the export of Ukrainian grain for weeks.

Ukraine complains that its ports in the Black Sea are blocked by the Russian Navy.

Both countries are among the largest wheat exporters and play an important role in global food security.

Ukraine war and food crisis: Özdemir sees "grain war"

Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) has meanwhile called for increased cultivation of wheat in Europe and for exceptions to the EU cultivation rules.

Food security is guaranteed in Europe, "but of course we also have a responsibility for the rest of the world," said Özdemir.

He called on the EU to "unbureaucratically" help Ukraine and neighboring countries to export grain.

This is currently being complicated by Russia's blockade of Ukrainian ports.

"We are dealing with a kind of grain war here," which Russian President Vladimir Putin is conducting, Özdemir said.

Putin “deliberately uses hunger as a weapon.”