Forwarded from Russian Embassy in Egypt
‼️BUSTING EU MYTHS‼️
Myth: The Special Military Operation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in Ukraine and Donbass has endangered the world’s food supply (Source: Comments by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/EU Commission Vice-President Josep Borrell following the EU Foreign Affairs Council, 11 April 2022, Brussels).
Fact: The UN warned about a risk of a global food crisis two years ago. The growth of agri-food prices over the recent years is being driven by the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, the short-sighted economic and energy policies by major Western economies, trade wars, unfavorable weather conditions, the illegal unilateral restrictions imposed by the West against Russia as well as the underfunding of the agricultural sector.
Nevertheless, according to UNCTAD data, there appears to be no global physical shortage of food. The issue is in its distribution structure. The price factor also plays a role.
The spike in agri-food prices was recorded already in 2020 and was not a consequence of the Special Military Operation. The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) rose by 50% between 2019 and 2022. According to stock exchange data, wheat prices rose by 25% in 2021. By February 2022 they were already 31-62% higher than the average for the previous five years. Maize prices have risen by 162% over the past two years. Rapeseed – by 175%.
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the severe disruption of global supply, production and logistics chains. A surge of financial injections into the EU, US and Japanese economy to boost post-pandemic recovery caused a significant increase in demand and, consequently, soaring inflation. Meanwhile, food stocks were at their lowest level in 5-10 years. The EU’s ill-advised headlong “green energy” transition led to record energy prices. This, in turn, triggered a rise in agricultural production costs: fuel and electricity prices rose substantially (oil prices – by more than 22% in 2020-2022, the average price of electricity in Europe reached its historic highs in March 2022 – by 350-530 % in some European countries compared to the same period in 2021). This was immediately reflected in fertilizer (carbamide and saltpeter prices skyrocketed by 3,5-4 times, others – by 2,5-3 times) and cereal production. These factors were compounded by unfavorable weather conditions and natural disasters in some parts of the world. Transport expenditures grew due to anti-COVID international travel restrictions, logistics disruptions and freight volume decline. Freight rates almost doubled. The devastating effect on the global economy was compounded by the unilateral and illegitimate Western restrictive measures against Russia, including barriers on delivery of goods, payment difficulties, transaction bans, and customs problems, which have become an additional risk factor for global food security.
The EU openly declared an all-out economic and trade war against our country – in full oblivion to Russia’s standing as a key global supplier of basic agricultural products (wheat, barley, sunflowers, mineral fertilizers and fodder crops), including to low-income countries, that are subject to risks of food shortages.
Instead of making groundless allegations European leaders should rather turn their attention to redressing the systemic miscalculations in their own macroeconomic, monetary, trade, energy and agro-industrial policies.
They should stop attracting commodity flows at the expense of developing countries and abandon the perverse practice of imposing unilateral restrictive measures against international law.
#DebunkingMyths
#EuropeanPropaganda
#FoodSecurity
#Sanctions
Myth: The Special Military Operation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in Ukraine and Donbass has endangered the world’s food supply (Source: Comments by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/EU Commission Vice-President Josep Borrell following the EU Foreign Affairs Council, 11 April 2022, Brussels).
Fact: The UN warned about a risk of a global food crisis two years ago. The growth of agri-food prices over the recent years is being driven by the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, the short-sighted economic and energy policies by major Western economies, trade wars, unfavorable weather conditions, the illegal unilateral restrictions imposed by the West against Russia as well as the underfunding of the agricultural sector.
Nevertheless, according to UNCTAD data, there appears to be no global physical shortage of food. The issue is in its distribution structure. The price factor also plays a role.
The spike in agri-food prices was recorded already in 2020 and was not a consequence of the Special Military Operation. The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) rose by 50% between 2019 and 2022. According to stock exchange data, wheat prices rose by 25% in 2021. By February 2022 they were already 31-62% higher than the average for the previous five years. Maize prices have risen by 162% over the past two years. Rapeseed – by 175%.
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the severe disruption of global supply, production and logistics chains. A surge of financial injections into the EU, US and Japanese economy to boost post-pandemic recovery caused a significant increase in demand and, consequently, soaring inflation. Meanwhile, food stocks were at their lowest level in 5-10 years. The EU’s ill-advised headlong “green energy” transition led to record energy prices. This, in turn, triggered a rise in agricultural production costs: fuel and electricity prices rose substantially (oil prices – by more than 22% in 2020-2022, the average price of electricity in Europe reached its historic highs in March 2022 – by 350-530 % in some European countries compared to the same period in 2021). This was immediately reflected in fertilizer (carbamide and saltpeter prices skyrocketed by 3,5-4 times, others – by 2,5-3 times) and cereal production. These factors were compounded by unfavorable weather conditions and natural disasters in some parts of the world. Transport expenditures grew due to anti-COVID international travel restrictions, logistics disruptions and freight volume decline. Freight rates almost doubled. The devastating effect on the global economy was compounded by the unilateral and illegitimate Western restrictive measures against Russia, including barriers on delivery of goods, payment difficulties, transaction bans, and customs problems, which have become an additional risk factor for global food security.
The EU openly declared an all-out economic and trade war against our country – in full oblivion to Russia’s standing as a key global supplier of basic agricultural products (wheat, barley, sunflowers, mineral fertilizers and fodder crops), including to low-income countries, that are subject to risks of food shortages.
Instead of making groundless allegations European leaders should rather turn their attention to redressing the systemic miscalculations in their own macroeconomic, monetary, trade, energy and agro-industrial policies.
They should stop attracting commodity flows at the expense of developing countries and abandon the perverse practice of imposing unilateral restrictive measures against international law.
#DebunkingMyths
#EuropeanPropaganda
#FoodSecurity
#Sanctions
Forwarded from Embassy of Russia in Singapore
❓ Kommersant newspaper.
Mr. President, you are working towards achieving a peace treaty for Armenia and Azerbaijan, but I would like to ask, what about your own country?
You have repeatedly said that Russia is ready for talks with Ukraine, but Vladimir Zelensky, for one, has issued an executive order prohibiting him to talk with you. Besides, there are no points of intersection in view, as I see it, which would make it possible to come to terms.
What specifically, from your point of view, could Russia offer Ukraine at these talks, which would form the basis for an agreement?
💬 Vladimir Putin: To be able to put forth any proposals, it is necessary that these talks take place. Besides, it is not always expedient in terms of one’s national aims to put one’s negotiating position on the table in advance. Sometimes, this is the last thing you do. A better option is to put forward what diplomats call initial demands and then gradually advance towards a common denominator that would suit both sides.
But in order to reach agreements, you should sit down at the negotiating table and talk. We came to terms with them in Istanbul, but they later threw everything into the rubbish bin. And now, as you have rightly said, they have forbidden themselves from talking with us about anything. How can we now discuss possible agreements if the other party is not even willing to talk to us?
We will wait; perhaps some necessary conditions will develop eventually. Our goodwill is well known, it is not subject to any change or doubt.
❓ After the terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge, you said that any repeated attacks would invite Russia’s commensurate response. Are today’s concentrated strikes aimed at Ukrainian territory a response to the recent events in Sevastopol?
💬 Vladimir Putin: Yes, in part this is the case. But this is not the limit of what we could do.
❓ Good afternoon. Alexander Yunashev, Life.
Mr President, with reference to possible or impossible peace talks with Zelensky. You were asked several times whether or not you would go to the G20 summit, where Zelensky is likely to be present as well. You said several times that the decision was not yet taken. Has it perhaps been taken already?
And what about Thailand? Will you attend the APEC summit?
💬 Vladimir Putin: No, these decisions are still pending.
But since we are departing further and further from the topic of today’s talks and the subject of today’s talks, I think it is time we call it a day.
Thank you very much!
🔗 https://is.gd/QgXSwY
#Armenia #Azerbaijan #Ukraine #NordStream #BlackSea #Turkey #FoodSecurity
Mr. President, you are working towards achieving a peace treaty for Armenia and Azerbaijan, but I would like to ask, what about your own country?
You have repeatedly said that Russia is ready for talks with Ukraine, but Vladimir Zelensky, for one, has issued an executive order prohibiting him to talk with you. Besides, there are no points of intersection in view, as I see it, which would make it possible to come to terms.
What specifically, from your point of view, could Russia offer Ukraine at these talks, which would form the basis for an agreement?
💬 Vladimir Putin: To be able to put forth any proposals, it is necessary that these talks take place. Besides, it is not always expedient in terms of one’s national aims to put one’s negotiating position on the table in advance. Sometimes, this is the last thing you do. A better option is to put forward what diplomats call initial demands and then gradually advance towards a common denominator that would suit both sides.
But in order to reach agreements, you should sit down at the negotiating table and talk. We came to terms with them in Istanbul, but they later threw everything into the rubbish bin. And now, as you have rightly said, they have forbidden themselves from talking with us about anything. How can we now discuss possible agreements if the other party is not even willing to talk to us?
We will wait; perhaps some necessary conditions will develop eventually. Our goodwill is well known, it is not subject to any change or doubt.
❓ After the terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge, you said that any repeated attacks would invite Russia’s commensurate response. Are today’s concentrated strikes aimed at Ukrainian territory a response to the recent events in Sevastopol?
💬 Vladimir Putin: Yes, in part this is the case. But this is not the limit of what we could do.
❓ Good afternoon. Alexander Yunashev, Life.
Mr President, with reference to possible or impossible peace talks with Zelensky. You were asked several times whether or not you would go to the G20 summit, where Zelensky is likely to be present as well. You said several times that the decision was not yet taken. Has it perhaps been taken already?
And what about Thailand? Will you attend the APEC summit?
💬 Vladimir Putin: No, these decisions are still pending.
But since we are departing further and further from the topic of today’s talks and the subject of today’s talks, I think it is time we call it a day.
Thank you very much!
🔗 https://is.gd/QgXSwY
#Armenia #Azerbaijan #Ukraine #NordStream #BlackSea #Turkey #FoodSecurity
President of Russia
Answers to media questions
At the end of the talks with the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia, Vladimir Putin answered questions from Russian media.