“The Russian Government seems to believe that using food as a weapon will help accomplish what its invasion has not: to break the spirit of the Ukrainian people,” Blinken said in a meeting.
Together, Russia and Ukraine produce about a third of the world's wheat. Ukraine is a major exporter of grain, barley, sunflower oil, and rapeseed oil, among other commodities.
US Secretary of State said as a result of the Russian Government’s actions, some 20 million tons of grain sit unused in Ukrainian silos as global food supplies dwindle, and prices skyrocket, causing more around the world to experience food insecurity.