European Council president Charles Michel has accused Russia of using food supplies as “a stealth missile against developing countries”.

“A few months ago, I was in Borodyanka where atrocities were committed by Russian soldiers. War crimes. Crimes against humanity. These crimes must be, and will be, punished to hold accountable those responsible. We need evidence. And this is why we are now helping to collect the evidence of these crimes. Impunity is not an option, and we welcome the International Court of Justice provisional measures ordering Russia to suspend military operations immediately. We fully support the investigation of the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and the work of the independent Commission of Inquiry. And the European Union is assisting the Ukrainian Prosecutor General and Civil Society to collect evidence of war crimes.

Mr. Ambassador of the Russian Federation, let’s be honest. The Kremlin is using food supplies as a stealth missile against developing countries. The dramatic consequences of Russia’s war are spilling over across the globe. And this is driving up food prices, pushing people into poverty and destabilising entire regions. Russia is solely responsible for this food crisis, Russia alone. Despite the Kremlin’s campaign of lies and disinformation. I have seen it with my own eyes. A few weeks ago in Odesa, millions of tons of grain and wheat stuck in containers and ships because of Russian warships in the Black Sea and because of Russia’s attack on transport infrastructure. And it is Russian tanks, Russian bombs and mines that are preventing Ukraine from planting and harvesting.

The Kremlin is also targeting grain storage and stealing grain in Ukraine while shifting the blame on others. This is cowardly. This is pure and simple propaganda. Let’s get to the facts. The EU has no sanctions on the agricultural sector in Russia. Zero. And even our sanctions on the Russian transport sector do not go beyond our EU borders. [You may leave the room, maybe it’s easier not to listen to the truth Mr. Ambassador]. Our sanctions do not prevent Russian flagged vessels from carrying grain, food or fertilisers to developing countries. The EU, on the contrary, is doing all it can to help Ukraine’s agricultural exports and to support Ukraine’s agricultural sector for the coming season.