© kremlin press serviceRussian President Vladimir Putin
"Predatory" monetary and trade policies pursued by the US-led West are the primary cause of the global food crisis, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.
Western nations are using their wealth and ability to print money to vacuum up food products from the global market, the Russian leader insisted during a government meeting on Tuesday. The unfolding crisis has been in the making for several years, he added.
"Some leading nations have financial and food policies that led to the result we are observing now," Putin said, adding that the behavior could be described as
"predatory, without any exaggeration."He noted that the US was a net exporter of food products last year,
but now it is a net importer.The Russian leader also reiterated his
criticism of the Ukraine grain deal, which allowed Kiev to export food via the Black Sea. The arrangement was mediated by the UN and Türkiye, but
Russia believes it is not working as intended, arguing that the shipments do little to alleviate food shortages in needy nations.
Putin cited last week's maritime traffic statistics in relation to the scheme, pointing out that most of the ships carrying Ukrainian grain that didn't report Türkiye as their destination
went to one of the EU nations.
"Are they the poorest nations or what? The situation remains the same. Embarrassing as it sounds, but this is plain swindle, and nothing else."
Comment: See also: