Putin's war against Ukraine placing food security 'under severe strain', aver G7 leaders

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine is placing global food security “under severe strain”, said the Group of Seven (G7) leaders in a joint statement. The G7 nations, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union, also urged Russia to end its blockade and all the other activities that further impede Ukrainian food production and exports in line with its international commitments. The strong-worded statement came after the virtual meeting of G7 leaders along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy.  

G7 leaders said, “President Putin’s war against Ukraine is placing global food security under severe strain. Together with the United Nations, we call on Russia to end its blockade and all other activities that further impede Ukrainian food production and exports, in line with its international commitments.”

“Failure to do so will be seen as an attack on feeding the world. We will step up efforts to help Ukraine to keep producing in view of the next harvest season and exporting, including by alternative routes,” they added. 

Putin announced a ‘special’ military operation in Ukraine in late February and since then, it is causing global economic disruptions, impacting the security of global energy supply,  fertiliser and food provision, and the functioning of global supply chains. It is to note here that the most vulnerable countries are affected most severely. The leaders also said, “Together with partners globally, we are stepping up our efforts to counter these adverse and harmful impacts of this war.”

G7 launches initiative to address the global food crisis

G7 said that “in support of the United Nations Global Crises Response Group, we will address the causes and consequences of the global food crisis through a Global Alliance for Food Security, as our joint initiative to ensure momentum and coordination, and other efforts.”

“We will closely cooperate with international partners and organisations beyond the G7, and, with the aim of transforming political commitments into concrete actions as planned by various international initiatives such as the Food and Agriculture Resilience Mission (FARM) and key regional outreach initiatives, including towards African and Mediterranean countries,” they added. 

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden and G7 leaders met with Zelenksyy to “reinforce our shared commitment to strengthen Ukraine’s position on the battlefield and at the negotiating table,” said the White House in a statement while noting all the actions that members of the group took against Putin and Russian military aggression. 

Image: AP