Tommy Patrio Sorong, CNBC Indonesia
Thursday, 13/07/2023 11:55 WIB
Photo: REUTERS/UMIT BEKTAS
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The threat of the “apocalypse” of food is getting closer to threatening the earth. Not from climate change but from the Russian-Ukrainian war.
This concerns the Black Sea Grain Initiatives (Black Sea grain export deal) due for completion July 17, allowing exports to continue to Ukraine. If not, it is certain that the blockade will occur again and make the world’s food supply dwindle and feed prices skyrocket.
In a recent report by a UN-backed export data tracking organization, no ships are currently leaving Ukrainian ports under the Initiative. In total, it has been three days since exports have stagnated.
Russia itself seems to be getting serious about leaving the agreement. This was stated by Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitri Peskov who emphasized that there was “no chance” of being extended.
“Russia has shown good faith several times, making concessions,” he said RT, quoted Thursday (13/7/2023).
“What was promised to Moscow as part of the deal has not yet been fulfilled,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is said to have specifically asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to extend the agreement. Even the United Nations will facilitate the opening of SWIFT, a financial messaging network, to the Russian Agricultural Bank.
“Guterres has proposed to Putin that Russia allow the Black Sea grain deal to continue for several months,” three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
“The EU is currently considering linking SWIFT with a Rosselkhozbank subsidiary in order to allow grain and fertilizer transactions specifically,” the source said.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric also confirmed. He said Guterres had sent a letter to Putin on Tuesday.
In the letter, he proposed a way forward to further facilitate Russia’s exports of food and fertilizer. This includes ensuring the continuation of Ukraine’s grain shipments via the Black Sea.
“The aim is to remove obstacles affecting financial transactions through Russian agricultural banks,” he said.
“The main concern expressed by the Russian Federation, and simultaneously enabling the continued flow of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea,” he concluded.
Ukraine and Russia are known to be one of the world’s food granaries. The two warring countries produced grains such as wheat and corn.
The war between the two has disrupted food distribution channels for the world, especially for countries such as the Middle East and Africa. This is because the region is quite dependent on supplies from the two countries.
The deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey signed in July 2022 provides for safe passage of Ukrainian grain shipments through the Black Sea corridor. In return, the United States (US) and the EU removed barriers to the export of Russian food and fertilizer products to foreign markets.
The initial agreement lasted 120 days. However it was extended several times since then.
While Russia’s exports of food and fertilizer are not subject to Western sanctions, Moscow also says restrictions on payments, logistics and insurance have become barriers to shipments. When the attacks were carried out in February 2022 by Russia, Ukrainian exports stagnated and sent food prices rising to an all-time record level.
Watch the video below:
Video: Nuclear Disaster Threat From the Zaporizhzhia NPP
(sef/sef)
2023-07-13 04:55:00
#Sadistic #Putins #Revenge #Food #Doomsday #Immediately #Hits #Earth
