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Speaking at a U.N. Security Council meeting on Thursday, Nebenzia slammed the West for “illegal unilateral sanctions” that thwarted the implementation of a U.N.-Turkey-brokered deal that lifted Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea in exchange for unimpeded access to Russian agricultural products to enter the global market, RT reports.
“The claims by the EU and the US that their sanctions do not affect food and fertilizer exports do not reflect reality,” the Russian envoy noted.
About 300,000 tonnes of Russian fertilizers worth “tens of millions of dollars” are stuck in European ports because of the sanctions, according to Nebenzia.
He went on to explain that “the restrictions make banking transactions more difficult” given the closure of Russian bank accounts, which play a key role in the agricultural sector. Another major issue, he said, was the surge in shipping insurance premiums.
The diplomat also accused EU officials of hypocrisy, saying Brussels banned European carriers from shipping Russian fertilizers to Africa, Asia or Latin America, but allowed them to be shipped to EU countries.
“It helps poor countries a lot. This selfishness, cynicism and hypocrisy of EU officials is especially indicative,” he noted.
The envoy added that almost half of Ukraine’s grain is destined for high-income countries, while out of 136 vessels carrying more than 250,000 tonnes of cargo, only six are destined for the poorest countries suffering from the food crisis.
The comments echo earlier remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who last week accused the West of lying about Ukraine’s need for maritime transport to ease the risk of soaring food prices and famine in poor countries.
Wheat deliveries to major producer Ukraine were disrupted after Russia launched military operations in the neighboring country in late February. The two sides have pointed fingers at each other over who is responsible for blocking the movement of goods through Ukrainian ports.
However, more than 3 million tonnes of grain and other food items have left Ukrainian ports as part of the deal since shipments resumed on August 1, according to the United Nations.
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