If the military conflict in Ukraine does not come to an end soon, the resulting famine could trigger political instability in Africa, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi di Maio warned during a press conference on Saturday. He also suggested “the proliferation of terrorist organizations and coups d’etat” may be on the horizon.
“The World War for Bread is already underway and we must stop it,” he said.
Di Maio urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to “come to the table” and reach a peace agreement as soon as possible, including a specific agreement on wheat.
“We must not forget that there are 30 million tons of grain blocked in Ukrainian ports by Russian warships. What we are doing is working to ensure that Russia unblocks the export of grain in Ukrainian ports, because at this moment we risk new wars breaking out in Africa.”
Italian PM Mario Draghi has previously asked Putin to allow grain exports from both Russia and those parts of Ukraine under Russian control. On Friday, the latter told Russian TV that shipments could be conducted via Belarus.
"If someone wants to solve the problem of exporting Ukrainian grain - please, the easiest way is through Belarus. No one is stopping it," Putin explained. "But for this you have to lift sanctions from Belarus."
He has also denied that Ukraine’s wheat is blocked by Russian warships. Putin insisted that Kiev has mined its own harbors extensively, creating serious danger for ships seeking to access Ukrainian ports.
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