The Group of Seven warned that a continuation of Russia’s war against Ukraine would lead to a “food crisis” in the world, noting that Ukraine’s wheat production had fallen by 35% compared to last year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelinsky has stressed that dozens of countries are at risk of rising food prices and hunger.
On Sunday (May 15th), Zelinsky called on countries around the world to unite with Ukraine to prevent what he called a “food crisis and famine” in the world.
“One of the issues I deal with on a daily basis is food security,” he said in a video release.
“More countries are realizing the importance of Russia closing the Black Sea and continuing the war, putting dozens of countries at risk of a crisis of rising food prices and even starvation,” he added.
“This has created another incentive for us to unite against the war and work together more decisively,” he said. “We now call on Ukraine to support us, especially by sending weapons and trying to prevent hunger.”
Meanwhile, the G7 countries have warned for the past seven days about the danger of a global food crisis due to the war in Ukraine.
Noting that Russia’s war in Ukraine has fueled a global food and energy crisis and threatened poor countries, the group stressed that urgent action must be taken to free up Ukraine’s grain reserves, which Russia has blocked from reaching other countries.
In this regard, the “Financial Times” newspaper reported a 35% decrease in Ukrainian wheat production compared to last year and an increase in food prices.
At the same time, the UN World Food Program stressed that the war in Ukraine showed the fragility of agricultural systems and its dire consequences for food security.
