Russian FM Lavrov claims UN Secretary-General's actions 'delaying solution to food crisis'

As the ravaging Russia-Ukraine war in Eastern Europe entered its 121st day, the Foreign Minister of Russia, Sergey Lavrov, asserted that he believes United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is ‘delaying’ finding a solution to the world's food crisis through his actions. During an interview with the national broadcaster of Belarus which was aired on Thursday, Lavrov said, “The UN secretary-general is delaying a solution to the food crisis through his actions, he does not allow sending… grain as soon as possible. This is regrettable", TASS reported.  

According to the Russian Foreign Minister, the Kremlin has been concerned about how slowly the UN responded to the proposals for grain transportation. He said, "We are alarmed by a slow reaction to the matter that seems urgent.”

Lavrov was quoted by TASS as saying, “I do not rule out that the UN Secretariat is also experiencing a most intense pressure from those willing to take this international organization under external control."  

The senior Russian diplomat also stated that the country has developed its own crisis-resolution strategies. Lavrov noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin has written down and delivered to New York all of his recommendations. “We did what we could," he added.  

Guterres proposed package deal that would include Russia & Ukraine: Stephane Dujarric 

Apart from this, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, told TASS that Antonio Guterres believes that grain shipments from both Russia and Ukraine have to start at the same time. "The Secretary-General, in his efforts to bring more food to the global markets, has always proposed a package deal that would include Russia and Ukraine simultaneously," he said.

These remarks of Dujarric came after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the UN chief had been attempting to reach an agreement on the shipping of Ukrainian grain,  in an interview with the state broadcaster of Belarus. According to Lavrov, the UN Secretary-General is working to find a solution to the problem of transferring grain from Ukrainian ports without considering Russia's daily announcements of humanitarian corridors for the purpose. 

Grain exports were disrupted as a result of the crisis in Ukraine and the extensive sanctions that the US and EU put on Russia, increasing the probability that certain nations could experience a food crisis. As per the TASS report, wheat, as well as corn prices, have dramatically risen since the start of the year. It was underlined during the UN Security Council meeting on May 21 that the global wheat stocks would only endure for 10 weeks, and the situation is worse now than it was in the 2007–2008 period.

According to prior comments made by the Russian Foreign Minister, the food crisis began far before the commencement of Russia's military operation in Ukraine. The COVID-19 outbreak started the catastrophe, and the current circumstances made it worse, as per media reports. Lavrov further stated Western sanctions are a major factor in the most recent interruptions of the food supply. 

(Image: AP)