The global food problem is currently the world's most important worry. There is a severe food shortage, and no matter where you are in the world, you are paying more at supermarkets. For some people, these price hikes and shortages can be life threatening. More than 200 million people around the world may starve in the coming months if supplies are not restored, and this may only be the beginning, according to the United Nations.
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If the world does not act immediately, these shortages will last for decades. The scale of the problem is enormous, and no country can solve it alone. So, what is causing these shortages as the world remains embroiled in multiple wars in which food supply is being weaponized? Is someone holding the world hostage by holding grains? The United States is blaming Russia for the shortages, claiming that the Russian invasion of Ukraine interrupted food supply systems and that Russia now intends to starve the globe to win the war.
The consequences of these actions have been devastating the food supply for millions of Ukrainians and millions more around the world has been held hostage by the russian military the russian government appears to believe that using food as a weapon will help accomplish what its invasion is not to break the spirit of the Ukrainian people now that's a big charge Anthony Blinken made such comment during a special session of the United Nations Security Council on global food shortages. America's accusation is straightforward: there is enough food in the globe, but it is not reaching those in need because Russia would not let it.
Is this case plausible? Is Russia really using food as a weapon? Who is holding the world's food? That's what we'll talk about. We'll start by looking at America's claims. The Russian military is said to be holding the world's food supply hostage by stopping food consignments at ports, which is America's charge. Russian military have surrounded Ukrainian shipping ports, which are not empty. About 28 million tonnes of grain are stranded in Ukraine, which is enough to feed millions of people all over the globe. Ukraine grows enough food to feed 400 million people every year, and along with Russia, it supplies 30% of the world's wheat, and this supply has suddenly gone from global markets.
According to sources, 50 million people worldwide are waiting for supplies, and if shipments do not begin, they would all starve. The United States is demanding that Russia lift the blockade. They are not alone in making this demand. The G7 II is blaming Russia, saying that Russia's actions have increased the risk of a hunger crisis. So what is Moscow's response? Russia is blaming Western sanctions for disrupting food supplies, but after the 24th of February, what we saw was an absolute baccanal against our country alone today.
As a result, transit lines have been shut off, causing a logistical crisis; there are threats to Russian ships, and they are unable to leave ports; and there is a problem with freight and insurance restrictions on international business accounts. This is not even an exhaustive list; it appears that Russians are more concerned with their own exports. The world needs both Ukraine and Russia to start supplying food again. Before the war, these countries supplied more than 30 percent of the world's wheat, 17 percent of the world's corn, and nearly 80 percent of the world's sunflower oil. UN Secretary General Antonio Gutierrez has been negotiating with Moscow, and he wants the blockade in Ukraine lifted but russia refuses to make concessions they first want some sanctions relief a statement has come out of moscow.
Dmitry Medvedev has spoken out he's the former president of Russia right now he's a senior security official and I have that statement with me this is what he says our country is ready to fulfil its obligations in full but it also expects assistance from trading partners otherwise there's no logic on the one hand insane sanctions are being imposed on us on the other hand they're demanding food supplies things don't work like that We are not morons. That's what he says, and neither side is willing to back down, putting millions of lives at danger. What happens when shortages worsen? There will be grain hoarding, particularly in affluent countries. Yesterday, India two spoke up at the United Nations, warning against food grain hoarding.
What India stated, and I'm paraphrasing, we have previously seen at tremendous cost how these principles were ignored in the instance of Covid 19 vaccinations. Open markets must not be used to justify perpetuating unfairness and promoting prejudice. A shattered global order would exacerbate the food problem food is not a weapon food should not be used as a weapon It is a casualty of the Ukrainian war and is now being utilized to make political points.