JABAR EKSPRES – French President, Emmanuel Macron, accused Russia of using “food as a weapon” by suspending a grain deal, as he commented on Moscow’s decision to withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Initiative a day earlier.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the EU-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (ECAC) summit in Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday (7/18), Macron highlighted Russia’s decision.
According to him, Russia’s unilateral decision will have a significant impact on Middle Eastern, African, and Asian countries that rely heavily on the agreement.
“Those who doubt Mr. Putin’s decision and his commitment to the common good, the answer is very clear, he decided to use food as a weapon, and I think this is a big mistake,” the French President said.
Russia’s presidential palace, the Kremlin, announced on Monday (7/17) that Russia was suspending the deal, stating that Russia’s part of the agreement was not being implemented.
The agreement, originally signed in July last year in Istanbul by Turkey, the United Nations, Russia and Ukraine, aimed to resume grain exports from Ukrainian ports.
Those exports had been halted due to the Russia-Ukraine war that began in February 2022.
On May 18, the deal was extended by an additional 60 days to ensure the continuation of grain exports and prevent a world food crisis.
EU leaders and CELAC leaders have gathered, to discuss business and development, in Brussels at the two-day EU-CELAC Summit that runs through July 18.
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