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 Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#DebunkingMyths
❌ Myth: Russia is using energy supplies for political purposes.
✅ Faсts: It is the EU which, by imposing or planning to impose further unilateral sanctions against Russian energy supplies, is politicizing the energy sphere, attempting to use interdependences between energy consumers and suppliers as an instrument of political pressure, while damaging its own economy and the well-being of its citizens and aggravating what is already a precarious situation in the global energy markets.
Unfounded allegations that Moscow is using energy supplies for political aims are part and parcel of the fact-twisting information warfare unleashed by the EU and the US, the latter seeking to increase its LNG exports to the EU.
#Think4Yourself
❌ Myth: Russia is using energy supplies for political purposes.
✅ Faсts: It is the EU which, by imposing or planning to impose further unilateral sanctions against Russian energy supplies, is politicizing the energy sphere, attempting to use interdependences between energy consumers and suppliers as an instrument of political pressure, while damaging its own economy and the well-being of its citizens and aggravating what is already a precarious situation in the global energy markets.
Unfounded allegations that Moscow is using energy supplies for political aims are part and parcel of the fact-twisting information warfare unleashed by the EU and the US, the latter seeking to increase its LNG exports to the EU.
#Think4Yourself
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#DebunkingMyths
The on-going attempts to blame Russia for "weaponising" grain and food supplies are completely without merit.
❗️ Faсts: Russia is a responsible member of the global food market. It is the Western illegitimate sanctions that are in fact damaging global food security.
We are deeply concerned about a possible food crisis and are well aware of the importance of supplies of socially important commodities, including food, to the socio-economic development of countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East and the achievement of SDGs.
The illegitimate unilateral restrictions imposed by the EU, the US and their satellites remain the main obstacle to normal export relations between Russia (and Belarus) and buyers of grain and fertilizers.
#Think4Yourself
The on-going attempts to blame Russia for "weaponising" grain and food supplies are completely without merit.
❗️ Faсts: Russia is a responsible member of the global food market. It is the Western illegitimate sanctions that are in fact damaging global food security.
We are deeply concerned about a possible food crisis and are well aware of the importance of supplies of socially important commodities, including food, to the socio-economic development of countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East and the achievement of SDGs.
The illegitimate unilateral restrictions imposed by the EU, the US and their satellites remain the main obstacle to normal export relations between Russia (and Belarus) and buyers of grain and fertilizers.
#Think4Yourself
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#DebunkingMyths
❌ Myth: Russia is using energy supplies for political purposes.
✅ Faсts: It is the EU which, by imposing or planning to impose further unilateral sanctions against Russian energy supplies, is politicizing the energy sphere, attempting to use interdependences between energy consumers and suppliers as an instrument of political pressure, while damaging its own economy and the well-being of its citizens and aggravating what is already a precarious situation in the global energy markets.
Unfounded allegations that Moscow is using energy supplies for political aims are part and parcel of the fact-twisting information warfare unleashed by the EU and the US, the latter seeking to increase its LNG exports to the EU.
#Think4Yourself
❌ Myth: Russia is using energy supplies for political purposes.
✅ Faсts: It is the EU which, by imposing or planning to impose further unilateral sanctions against Russian energy supplies, is politicizing the energy sphere, attempting to use interdependences between energy consumers and suppliers as an instrument of political pressure, while damaging its own economy and the well-being of its citizens and aggravating what is already a precarious situation in the global energy markets.
Unfounded allegations that Moscow is using energy supplies for political aims are part and parcel of the fact-twisting information warfare unleashed by the EU and the US, the latter seeking to increase its LNG exports to the EU.
#Think4Yourself
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#DebunkingMyths
❌ Myth: The dire economic situation was caused by the pandemic and Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and Donbas.
✅ Fact: The EU avoids any mention of the need to ensure an uninterrupted supply of Russian agricultural products to international markets (which is being obstructed by the West’s sanctions).
Brussels continues to differentiate between “good” and “bad” food based on whether its origin is “democratic” or not. The EU stubbornly opposes agricultural exports from Crimea.
Besides that, they are deliberately undermining the preparations for the next sowing campaign both in the republics and the liberated areas of Ukraine.
#Think4Yourself
❌ Myth: The dire economic situation was caused by the pandemic and Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and Donbas.
✅ Fact: The EU avoids any mention of the need to ensure an uninterrupted supply of Russian agricultural products to international markets (which is being obstructed by the West’s sanctions).
Brussels continues to differentiate between “good” and “bad” food based on whether its origin is “democratic” or not. The EU stubbornly opposes agricultural exports from Crimea.
Besides that, they are deliberately undermining the preparations for the next sowing campaign both in the republics and the liberated areas of Ukraine.
#Think4Yourself
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#DebunkingMyths
❌ Myth: President Putin is deliberately blocking the wheat supply of the world.
✅ Fact: According to UN statistics, 800 million tonnes of grain is produced annually around the world. Thus, the estimated 20 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain cannot radically resolve the problem by definition.
Also the EU is still dependent on forage crop imports, mostly corn, that is why while shouting from the rooftops about the urgent need to save Ukrainian cereals, the EU is primarily concerned with its own food security.
Russia has never blocked grain exports from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. On the contrary, we are doing our best to provide two humanitarian maritime corridors in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The problem is the high mine hazard and Kiev’s threats to fire at ships. This makes safe navigation in its territorial waters impossible.
#Think4Yourself
❌ Myth: President Putin is deliberately blocking the wheat supply of the world.
✅ Fact: According to UN statistics, 800 million tonnes of grain is produced annually around the world. Thus, the estimated 20 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain cannot radically resolve the problem by definition.
Also the EU is still dependent on forage crop imports, mostly corn, that is why while shouting from the rooftops about the urgent need to save Ukrainian cereals, the EU is primarily concerned with its own food security.
Russia has never blocked grain exports from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. On the contrary, we are doing our best to provide two humanitarian maritime corridors in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The problem is the high mine hazard and Kiev’s threats to fire at ships. This makes safe navigation in its territorial waters impossible.
#Think4Yourself
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#DebunkingMyths
❌ Myth: Russia has put a tax on exports making the prices go up.
✅ Fact: Introducing export duties or export quotas on some commodities is a forced measure designed to protect the domestic market from price fluctuations and to stabilise prices. The food and energy crisis caused by the West’s selfish policies has forced many countries to take this path.
The Russian Government introduced export duties on cereals in early 2021 and allocated quotas for grain exports as early as 2020. This has nothing to do with the Ukrainian crisis.
The Russian Government uses the revenues yielded by export duties to expand production infrastructure. This helps boost agricultural exports and stabilise the international food market, which has been shattered by the West’s policies.
#Think4Yourself
❌ Myth: Russia has put a tax on exports making the prices go up.
✅ Fact: Introducing export duties or export quotas on some commodities is a forced measure designed to protect the domestic market from price fluctuations and to stabilise prices. The food and energy crisis caused by the West’s selfish policies has forced many countries to take this path.
The Russian Government introduced export duties on cereals in early 2021 and allocated quotas for grain exports as early as 2020. This has nothing to do with the Ukrainian crisis.
The Russian Government uses the revenues yielded by export duties to expand production infrastructure. This helps boost agricultural exports and stabilise the international food market, which has been shattered by the West’s policies.
#Think4Yourself
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#DebunkingMyths
❌ Myth: EU sanctions do not disturb trade in the world, because European bureaucrats only take decisions that do not affect third countries.
✅ Fact: So much uncertainty displayed by a top-ranking European bureaucrat in so sensitive an issue should put both European taxpayers and the EU’s partners in third countries on guard.
“Sanctions that affect the EU countries alone” proved enough to generate elements of total unpredictability in our foreign partners’ behavior towards Russian companies that are even formally unaffected by the restrictions. The general deterioration in the conditions of interaction with European financial institutions is now part of the routine.
#Think4Yourself
❌ Myth: EU sanctions do not disturb trade in the world, because European bureaucrats only take decisions that do not affect third countries.
✅ Fact: So much uncertainty displayed by a top-ranking European bureaucrat in so sensitive an issue should put both European taxpayers and the EU’s partners in third countries on guard.
“Sanctions that affect the EU countries alone” proved enough to generate elements of total unpredictability in our foreign partners’ behavior towards Russian companies that are even formally unaffected by the restrictions. The general deterioration in the conditions of interaction with European financial institutions is now part of the routine.
#Think4Yourself
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
Fighting the EU's «fakes»
#QUOTE1
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, 19 September:
💬 Look at the statistics: two thirds of the Ukrainian exports have gone to Africa, to the Middle East and Asia.
#FACTS:
According to the data of the Joint Coordination Center (JCC), as of September 21 this year, only 5 out of 185 vessels with Ukrainian grains and other food products were directed to the countries in most need according to the UN classification of Sub-Saharan Africa:
🇩🇯 Djibouti,
🇰🇪 Kenya,
🇸🇴 Somalia,
🇸🇩 Sudan.
Another 3 vessels head towards countries at risk of food shortages in the Middle East and Asia (🇾🇪Yemen and 🇧🇩Bangladesh).
According to the JCC, 93 of the 185 vessels mentioned were heading for the EU. The EU accounts for about 40% of the total shipments.
👉 So it is the EU, not the world's poorest countries, which is the biggest beneficiary of the Ukrainian grain export deal.
#DebunkingMyths
#QUOTE1
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, 19 September:
💬 Look at the statistics: two thirds of the Ukrainian exports have gone to Africa, to the Middle East and Asia.
#FACTS:
According to the data of the Joint Coordination Center (JCC), as of September 21 this year, only 5 out of 185 vessels with Ukrainian grains and other food products were directed to the countries in most need according to the UN classification of Sub-Saharan Africa:
🇩🇯 Djibouti,
🇰🇪 Kenya,
🇸🇴 Somalia,
🇸🇩 Sudan.
Another 3 vessels head towards countries at risk of food shortages in the Middle East and Asia (🇾🇪Yemen and 🇧🇩Bangladesh).
According to the JCC, 93 of the 185 vessels mentioned were heading for the EU. The EU accounts for about 40% of the total shipments.
👉 So it is the EU, not the world's poorest countries, which is the biggest beneficiary of the Ukrainian grain export deal.
#DebunkingMyths
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
❗️ #DebunkingMyths spread by the EU leadership
Myth: Russia is offering 1 million tonnes of grain to African countries in a parody of generosity. What cynicism and contempt for African countries, when we know that the Black Sea agreement has so far delivered more than 30 million tonnes of exports, mainly to the most vulnerable countries. And that the solidarity routes, alternative routes developed by the EU and with the EU, have already enabled 40 million tonnes of grain to be exported. 1 million tonnes offered — as if it were a gift. This is absolutely appalling cynicism. On the other hand, there are those who are really fighting to come to the aid of the most fragile and vulnerable populations.
Fact: This statement by Charles Michel has no basis in reality. Ukrainian grain has mostly been delivered and continues to be delivered to the EU.
The President of the European Council’s statement represents not only a textbook case of crude EU propaganda but also a fundamentally new chapter in the history of European public opinion.
However, things that Charles Michel has held back are even more interesting.
👉 Let's take a closer look:
• The EU member states are the main beneficiaries of the Black Sea Initiative since about 40 percent of the Ukrainian agricultural products exported via this route went their way. The share of recipients from the countries that are most in need is less than 3 percent.
• Over nearly 18 months, the EU has failed to establish food exports via the “solidarity corridors” to third countries, if such a goal really existed in the first place.
• The EU needs to offset the damage to its own food security caused by unilateral sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus and ill-conceived policies in the macroeconomic, energy, and food sectors.
• The EU intentionally overstates the potential of Ukrainian agricultural output to ensure global food security (Ukraine's share of the global wheat market is no more than 5 percent).
Myth: Russia is offering 1 million tonnes of grain to African countries in a parody of generosity. What cynicism and contempt for African countries, when we know that the Black Sea agreement has so far delivered more than 30 million tonnes of exports, mainly to the most vulnerable countries. And that the solidarity routes, alternative routes developed by the EU and with the EU, have already enabled 40 million tonnes of grain to be exported. 1 million tonnes offered — as if it were a gift. This is absolutely appalling cynicism. On the other hand, there are those who are really fighting to come to the aid of the most fragile and vulnerable populations.
Fact: This statement by Charles Michel has no basis in reality. Ukrainian grain has mostly been delivered and continues to be delivered to the EU.
The President of the European Council’s statement represents not only a textbook case of crude EU propaganda but also a fundamentally new chapter in the history of European public opinion.
However, things that Charles Michel has held back are even more interesting.
👉 Let's take a closer look:
• The EU member states are the main beneficiaries of the Black Sea Initiative since about 40 percent of the Ukrainian agricultural products exported via this route went their way. The share of recipients from the countries that are most in need is less than 3 percent.
• Over nearly 18 months, the EU has failed to establish food exports via the “solidarity corridors” to third countries, if such a goal really existed in the first place.
• The EU needs to offset the damage to its own food security caused by unilateral sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus and ill-conceived policies in the macroeconomic, energy, and food sectors.
• The EU intentionally overstates the potential of Ukrainian agricultural output to ensure global food security (Ukraine's share of the global wheat market is no more than 5 percent).