DISINFO: The West is taking Ukrainian grain as payment for weapons
SUMMARY
The reality is that while the West supplies weapons to Ukraine, it exports food supplies, in particular, wheat stocks from Ukraine. That is, the West did not really give weapons to Ukraine for free, they have taken away Ukraine’s food stocks as a price for weapons.
RESPONSE
Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Ukraine, aiming to shift the blame for the growing global food insecurity and price increases to the West and Ukraine.
Ukraine is one of the world’s top agricultural producers and exporters. Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, most of the food produced by Ukraine – enough to feed 400 million people – was exported through the country’s seven Black Sea ports, according to an estimate from the World Food Programme.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has destabilised global food markets and is driving food prices up due to increased cost of production, transport and freight insurance. Russia has destroyed substantial food stocks, production, as well as processing and transport capacities in Ukraine.
Russian warships block Black Sea trade routes, which prevents the export of Ukrainian grain.
Since Ukraine’s sea ports have been blocked since the Russian invasion, Ukraine has been forced to export grain by train via its western border or via its small Danube river ports into Romania. It has sent around 80,000 tones of grains to the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanta, as of April 26, 2022.
The claim that Ukraine allegedly is blocking international ships in the black sea has been debunked by the Ukrainian factcheckers.
Addressing the UN Security Council, European Council President Charles Michel stated: "Russia is solely responsible for this food crisis, Russia alone. Despite the Kremlin's campaign of lies and disinformation. I have seen it with my own eyes. In Odesa, millions of tons of grain and wheat stuck in containers and ships because of Russian warships in the Black Sea and because of Russia's attack on transport infrastructure. And it is Russian tanks, Russian bombs and mines that are preventing Ukraine from planting and harvesting."
Multiple countries around the world support Ukraine's defense against Russia' military aggression with deliveries of weapons, ammunition and non-lethal military equipment, including multiple NATO allies, Australia, Japan, and others. There is no basis to claim that the West is delivering weapons to Ukraine in exchange for the export of grain.
See related disinformation claim alleging that US, Canada, Switzerland to blame for surge in food and energy prices due to illegal sanctions on Russia.
Read also the EUvsDisinfo article covering Russian disinformation related to the food security.
Read more disinformation cases about Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine.