Ukrainian Foreign Minister Considers Russia A Danger To Global Food Security

JAKARTA - Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Russia of endangering global food security after Moscow withdrew from the Black Sea seed deal that allowed Kiev to export tens of millions of tons of grain over the past year.

"This is an irresponsible move. Russia is also doing so while increasing its own exports to the global market," Kuleba told reporters at the United Nations Headquarters (UN) ahead of a meeting of the Security Council on Ukraine.

He said Russia's decision caused many countries in Asia and Africa to face the risk of rising food prices and hunger.

Kuleba said Russia did not guarantee the safety of any ship that might try to bring Ukrainian seeds from Ukrainian ports to the Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul or vice versa, after Moscow withdrew from the deal.

"We will hold consultations with the International Maritime Organization," he said.

In front of the Security Council, he called on all UN member states to firmly demand that Russia continue its participation in the agreement with good faith and stop using food as weapons.

"Russia must keep politics away from global food security," said Kuleba.

The head of UN Political Affairsur DiCarlo called for an "unreasonable" and "unjustified" war to end in Ukraine, which killed more than 9,000 civilians and left more than 16,000 people injured since it began on February 24, 2022.

"In addition to causing unnatural deaths and destruction, the war in Ukraine has greatly reduced our ability to face uncertain futures," DiCarlo told the Security Council.

"This war has escalated tensions in various regions, and risks triggering a global arms race. The longer this war continues, the more dangerous the consequences, including the wider possibility of conflict," he warned.

British Foreign Minister James Cleanly, whose country currently holds the post of president in UN Security Council rotation, also called on Russia to end the war.

"Ukraine wants peace. We want peace. The whole world wants peace," he said.

"The peace will bring home the lost Ukrainian children and feed the world of hunger. The Russian Federation can choose peace today by withdrawing all Russian troops from Ukraine," said Cleanly.