NEW YORK—World leaders called for donating more money to fight hunger and lifting barriers to food and fertilizer trade to address what they fear will be a prolonged period of food insecurity linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
At a special food meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, representatives from the European Union, Africa, and the Americas sought to draw attention to signs that the world’s food supply may face even bigger challenges in the future. They cited climate change, rising prices for energy and fertilizer and poor harvests linked to conflicts, including the one in Ukraine.
“Next year may be even more difficult, looking at the increase in energy and fertilizer prices,” German Chancellor
Olaf Scholz
said at the meeting.
President Biden is expected to announce a major boost to U.S. food aid at his U.N. speech on Wednesday, officials said. Since Russia’s February invasion of Ukraine, Washington has provided $6.1 billion in humanitarian assistance and $2.3 billion in development aid to fight hunger and bolster food security.
Secretary of State
Antony Blinken
said Tuesday that Washington is working with other members of the U.N. Security Council to ensure that food and medicine are carved out of any sanctions linked to Russia’s invasion or other conflicts, he said.
Russian President
has blamed the EU for preventing fertilizer sales and Western nations for favoring their own consumers rather than those in poorer economies. Speaking Tuesday in Moscow, Mr. Putin blamed Western sanctions and the pressure campaign against Russia for any shortages.
“Unfortunately, this strategy harms absolutely innocent nations as well, especially the poorest and most developing countries,” he said.
Food has become a central part of Russia’s strategy to curry favor among developing countries amid widespread criticism over its invasion of Ukraine, leading to allegations Moscow has weaponized grain along with energy and other commodities.Russia effectively blockaded Ukraine’s Black Sea ports for months, until a multinational deal spearheaded by U.N. Secretary-General
António Guterres
allowed ships carrying grain to sail in recent weeks.
“The truth is that Putin is trying to blackmail…
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