G7 attempts to isolate Moscow make global food crisis worse, says Russia

Russia’s foreign ministry on Monday said that attempts by the West and the G7 group of nations in particular to isolate Moscow have worsened global food shortages.

Reuters reported that G7 foreign ministers on Saturday promised to reinforce Russia’s economic and political isolation, continue supplying weapons to Ukraine and work to ease food shortages stemming from Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of its neighbour.

Also read: UN warns of ‘catastrophic’ malnutrition in children due to Ukraine war

“Attempts to divert Russia economically, financially and logistically from long-standing channels of international cooperation are only exacerbating economic and food crises,” the foreign ministry said in a statement on its website.

“It should be noted that it was the unilateral actions of Western countries, primarily from the Group of Seven, that exacerbated the problem of breaking the logistics and financial chains of food supplies to world markets.”

Also read: ‘We’re talking solidarity…you’re talking dolly shots’: Cannes amid unrest

Before the war Ukraine and Russia combined accounted for about 29% of wheat production for the world market.

Moscow calls its actions in Ukraine a “special military operation” to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists. Ukraine and the West say the fascist allegation is baseless and that the war is an unprovoked act of aggression.

Also read: ‘Mariupol garrison has fulfilled its combat mission’: All you need to know

Earlier, the United Nations’ child right agency had reported that the cost of life-saving treatment for the most severely malnourished children is set to jump by up to 16% due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and pandemic disruptions.

According to UNICEF, the raw ingredients of ready-to-eat-therapeutic food have leapt in price amid the global food crisis sparked by the war and pandemic.

Also read: Why is Turkey opposed to Finland, Sweden joining NATO?

Without further funding in the next six months, 600,000 more children may miss out on the essential treatment, which is a high-energy paste made of ingredients including peanuts, oil, sugar and added nutrients.