Attempts made by Western states to accuse Russia of triggering a food crisis in the world are part of the information war unleashed against the country, said Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov on Thursday.
"Attempts to accuse Russia of provoking a food crisis and using 'food as a weapon' are a well-known element of the information war unleashed against our country," Antonov stated.
The ambassador responded to anti-Russian statements made by senior US administration officials on food security ahead of high-level debates in the UN Security Council. According to the Russian diplomat, even an outside observer understands that it is Russia that makes a significant contribution to global food security, acting as a reliable supplier of agricultural products.
"It is simply pointless to start comparing the agricultural export opportunities of our country and Ukraine," Antonov stressed, noting that their shares on the world markets are significantly different.
As the Russian ambassador in Washington assured, Moscow is ready to strengthen comprehensive cooperation in the areas of food security, energy, education and trade, and help build a unique and influential center of world development in Africa.
"Such an approach simply does not fit into the logic of the neo-colonial practices of the West, which is unable to build mutually beneficial and equal relations with the continent," he concluded.
According to the Russian president, who delivered his speech at the Second Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg, Western countries create obstructions to supply of Russian grain and fertilizers to African countries and blame Russia for the current food crisis. He explained that the "illegal sanctions imposed on" Russian exports seriously hinder the supply of food, complicate transportation, logistics, and bank payments.
However, he added, despite these obstacles, Russia continues to be a reliable food supplier to the world market. He noted that Russia delivered 11.5 million tonnes of grain to the African countries in 2022 and nearly 10 million tonnes in the first six months of this year.
Moreover, he said that Moscow is ready to "replace Ukraine's grain" on a commercial basis and "as a donation to the African countries" that need it most. Putin elaborated that in the coming months, Russia will deliver 25,000-50,000 tonnes of grain free of charge to Burkina Faso, Mali, Eritrea and a number of other African countries.