Josep Borrell, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Policy, accused Russia on Thursday of causing a global food crisis by attacking perverted grain silos in the port of Odessa.
“For the third night, Russia is bombing and destroying Odessa’s port infrastructure [Mar Negro] and grain silos. 60,000 tons of grain burned. [A Rússia] not just abandon the agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain, but burn [a produção]said the European Union’s head of diplomacy for the meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers.
For Borrell, Russian actions against Ukraine could jeopardize “a massive food crisis around the world.”
“If these grains are not stored and destroyed, it means that there could be a shortage of food and grains on a global level,” Borrell warned, after stating that European Union foreign ministers would discuss the issue with his Ukrainian counterpart. , Dmitri Kuleba, via video conference.
Ukrainian authorities attribute the attacks on port infrastructure in Odessa to Russia’s recent withdrawal from the grain export deal.
To return to the pact, Moscow is calling for the lifting of sanctions on the export of Russian grains and fertilizers to international markets, as well as the removal of obstacles for Russian banks and the “immediate” connection to the SWIFT bank transfer system.
In this sense, Borrell pushed for a European response that should bolster military support to Ukraine to help Kiev defend itself against Russian attacks.
“The large-scale attacks of the past three nights require a response from us. There can only be one response. Besides rhetoric, increase military resources,” he said.
At the moment, according to EFE, the proposal is being discussed on the application of 20 billion euros for weapons destined for Ukraine in the coming years.
Arriving at the meeting, Borrell declined to confirm the values of the proposals, stating that they are a “very significant amount”.
“Ukraine does not need monthly support, but long-term support and structural and continuous support,” he said.
Borrell’s proposal on aid to Kiev should be discussed in the coming months and approved by the 27 countries of the European Union.
“If the question is put to the foreign ministers, the answer will be more positive than that of the finance ministers,” an ironic diplomatic source told the Spanish agency EFE before today’s meeting in Brussels.
Source: DN
