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Cereal exports blocked
Scholz: It is about an understanding “with Ukraine, with Russia and others”
Brussels.According to Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Germany is making more and more efforts to allow grain exports, which have been blocked by the war in Ukraine. Scholz said after the EU summit in Brussels on Tuesday that it was about reaching an agreement “with Ukraine, with Russia and also with others” on safe corridors. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is discussing this with everyone involved, he himself and French President Emmanuel Macron support it, Scholz said.
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In addition to the oil embargo against Russia, the consequences of the war for the world food situation were also discussed at the summit. The interim president of the African Union (AU), Macky Sall, went online virtually on the second day of the summit and expressed his concerns. “This crisis is particularly affecting our countries due to their heavy dependence on Russian and Ukrainian wheat production,” Sall said, according to a transcript of the speech made available by an EU official.
The Senegalese head of state also warned of the negative consequences of the sanctions against Russia that restrict the use of the Swift international payment system. Sall said that when Swift is disrupted, payments become difficult or even impossible.
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Great concerns about the nutrition of many citizens in the world
In this context, Scholz spoke of the fact that he was also concerned about allowing fertilizers to be exported and that grain could also be paid for where it was needed. At the same time, the foreign minister emphasized that the great concern about food for many citizens in the world had “a reason, which is the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.” There are “lots of stories now” that should distract you.
Baerbock accuses Russia of “grain war”.
Annalena Baerbock accuses Russia of waging a “food war”.
© Source: Reuters
In the final declaration of the summit, the EU heads of state and government not only condemned the Russian war against Ukraine, but also the illegal appropriation of agricultural products there. Among other things, Moscow was asked to end attacks on transport infrastructure and lift the blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports. In the statement, the member states themselves were encouraged to work on alternative ways of transporting Ukrainian food through the EU territory and ports.
After the meeting, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed that the EU has not imposed any sanctions on food or agricultural products from Russia. According to von der Leyen, third countries have access to all of Russia’s fertilizers, for example.
RND/epd