UK accuses Russia of 'leveraging global food security for its political aim'

The UK Defence Ministry in the latest intelligence update has alleged that Russia has indicated its readiness to leverage global food security for its "political aim". It further said that Russia will then showcase itself as the "reasonable actor" and put the blame on the West for any failure. The UK Defence Ministry noted that the Russian government's attempts to reduce the severity of international sanctions show their impact on the regime.

"Russia has demonstrated is it prepared to leverage global food security for its own political aim and then present itself as the reasonable actor and blame the West for any failure," the UK Defence Ministry alleged in a statement.

Taking to its official Twitter handle, the British Defence Ministry in the update has pointed out the statement of Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko.

According to Britain, Andrei Rudenko on May 25, had said that Russia is willing to provide a humanitarian corridor to vessels that are carrying food through the Black Sea in exchange for lifting sanctions imposed against them. He also called on the Ukrainian administration to de-mine the area around the port of Odesa to allow the passage of ships.

The British Defence Ministry said that Rudenko's call on Ukraine to demine follows a "modern Russian messaging strategy". The ministry stressed that Russia's messaging includes "introducing alternative narratives" and complicating the understanding of people.

'Sanctions on Russia have no connection to unfolding global food crisis': Kuleba 

The UK Defence Ministry emphasised that Ukraine has deployed maritime marines due to Russia's attacks from the Black Sea. The British Defence Ministry's latest intelligence update comes as the war between the two countries entered day 95.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that sanctions against Russia have no connection with the unfolding global crisis. Taking to his official Twitter handle, Kuleba said that the shortage and price rise have been caused due to Russia's blockade of 22 million tons of Ukrainian food exports in seaports. He called on the Russian government to end the blockade of seaports and allow grain exports. 

UK working with international partners to resume grain exports: Boris Johnson

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday, May 28, spoke to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. British PM Boris assured Ukraine of identifying ways to reopen Ukrainian ports. Zelenskyy and Johnson discussed strengthening military assistance to Ukraine and ramping up efforts on security guarantees.

The UK PM told the Ukrainian President about the work being carried out alongside the international partners to resume grain exports to avoid a global food crisis. During the telephonic conversation, both sides discussed the situation in Donbas and the east of Ukraine. They talked about supplying fuel to Ukraine and the blockade of Odesa.

"The Prime Minister outlined to President Zelenskyy the intensive work taking place with international partners to find ways to resume the export of grain from Ukraine to avert a global food crisis,"  the British government said in the statement. 

Image: AP