As the conflict in Ukraine rages on, the United States and Russia blamed one other for the world’s worsening food situation.

Washington has urged Russia to facilitate the export of Ukrainian grain that has been stranded in Black Sea ports. Ukraine is one of the world’s leading wheat producers.

“Stop blocking the ports in the Black Sea. Allow free flow of ships, trains, and trucks carrying food out of Ukraine,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated during a UN Security Council meeting hosted by the US.

“Stop threatening to withhold food and fertilizer exports from countries that criticize your war of aggression,” he said.

“The food supply for millions of Ukrainians and millions more around the world has quite literally been held hostage by the Russian military,” he added.

Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia responded by saying his country was being blamed for all of the world’s problems.

He said that the world has long suffered from a food crisis driven by an inflationary spiral induced by growing insurance costs, logistical snarls, and speculation on Western markets.

He went on to say that Ukraine’s ports are being blocked by Kyiv, which he claims has planted mines around the Black Sea coast.

And, according to Nebenzia, Ukraine does not want to work with shipping companies to free up dozens of foreign freighters that are stuck in port.

He also criticised Western sanctions against Russia, claiming that the consequences were aggravating global food insecurity.

Blinken countered that “sanctions are not preventing Russia from exporting food and fertilizer.”

“Sanctions imposed by the United States and many other countries deliberately include carve outs for food, for fertilizer and seeds from Russia,” he said.

“The decision to weaponize food is Moscow’s and Moscow’s alone,” he said.

Serhii Dvornyk, a member of Ukraine’s mission to the UN, agreed.

“We demand that Russia stop illicit grain stealing, unblock Ukrainian seaports, restore freedom of navigation and allow trade ships to pass,” he said.

“About 400 million people throughout the world depends on grain supplies from Ukraine,” he added.

He noted that the country’s grain exports decreased from 5 million tonnes per month prior to Russia’s February 24 invasion to 200,000 in March and around 1.1 million last month.

A day after UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged Russia to allow Ukrainian grain shipments, over 80 countries attended the council meeting on Thursday, voicing widespread alarm about the prospect of food shortages.

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