generic If Ukraine fails to export grain in coming months, there will be a famine catastrophe, Zelensky warns
Read also: Moody's downgrades Ukraine's ratings, changes outlook to negative
“A food crisis in the world is ahead – there will be, there will be a shortage of food products,” Zelensky said.
“Twenty-two million tons of grain, sunflower, etc. are blocked by the Russian Federation, which controls the entire Black and Azov coasts – all our ports are blocked.
“All the elite – the business elite, the political elite – have to take certain measures to unblock this grain so that it can be exported to Africa, Asia and European countries.”
Zelensky said that in some countries there would definitely be shortages of food if Russia’s blockade of Ukraine’s ports is not lifted.
Read also: Nearly 4,500,000 tons of grain are stuck in Ukraine’s ports, says UN
“If we do not export (grain, ed.) in the coming months, if there are no political agreements with Russia through intermediaries… there will be famine, there will be a catastrophe, there will be shortages, there will be high prices,” Zelensky said.
Read also: Russian invaders steal hundreds of millions of dollars worth of grain from Ukraine
“Meanwhile, all this grain will rot in our country,” the president said.
Due to the Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea, shortages of Ukrainian grain on the world markets has led to global food panic. The global rise in food prices may reach 20-30% some economists reckon.
