#Opinion by Maria Zakharova:
💬 How many times do we have to explain who is responsible for the unfolding tragedy in the vegetable oil and grain markets? Still, the talking (not thinking) heads in Europe go through the same song and dance every day. Josep Borrell on Twitter once again blamed the global food crisis on “Russian missiles.” Who on earth writes this nonsense for him?
Once again. In lay terms. The sanctions against the Russian Federation have dealt a serious blow to the global economy, which had only just begun to gradually recover from the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The sanctions disrupted existing production, supply and logistics chains, and the payments system for our companies. We have a product – grain – while buyers have the money and the desire to buy it. But sanctions are preventing this from happening in a very simple way, both physically (transporting grain) and financially (paying for it).
This situation has harmed everyone. Disrupted supplies and payments have led to a global food shortage, contributed to a further increase in prices, and threatened global food security. No transactions mean decreased activity, and that combined with growing demand makes prices go up.
And yet, despite the objective transport and logistics difficulties, we remain global market participants in good standing. We fulfill and will continue to fulfill our obligations under international contracts regarding the export of grain, fertiliser, energy commodities and other critical products.
Unlike Europe, we are concerned about the unfolding food crisis. Western experts – and even more so the leaders of developing countries – understand the importance of Russian supplies of socially significant goods, including food, for the socioeconomic development of the countries of Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.
This is a flagrant Western hypocrisy.
Russia – out of humanitarian considerations – wants to ensure that Ukraine can provide itself with grain, including for planting. And what is the West doing? It is taking Ukrainian grain away by the truckload, leaving the Ukrainian population to struggle with the coming shortage. The West’s actions undermine food security not only in Africa, but in Ukraine as well.
It seems that the vaunted expertise and intellectual capacity of our colleagues in Europe and America are now being used in the service of propaganda. Nothing too fancy, but they are expanding colossal energy to indoctrinate their population and convince them that the Russians are to blame. No other issues are discussed anymore, not even the economy or infrastructure. Indeed, why solve problems with food, electricity prices, their own inflation or other issues, including cybersecurity, space exploration safety, etc., when every problem can be blamed on the Russians?
WtR