DISINFO: Ukrainian grain fills European granaries and breaks EU unity
SUMMARY
The Ukrainian grain, far from feeding the poorest in the world as announced, is breaking the relations between Western and Eastern Europe. Despite that the food agreement was implemented with the pretext of the urgency of supplying Ukrainian grain to the countries most in need, European granaries are already full. This big surplus topped the EU deposits to the point that European farmers stood up against their governments while the latter argue whose fault is this.
Several countries such as Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria and have already temporarily banned imports of Ukrainian grain. However, this decision caused friction with the European authorities. Ukrainian grain has become the bone of contention in the relations among European countries, leading to a fracture in the EU.
RESPONSE
The claims are a distortion of facts, part of a wider disinformation campaign about Ukrainian grain exports and its effect on global food security. The ultimate goal of this disinformation story is to portray Europe as a selfish actor in contrast to Russia’s “solidarity” with developing countries. But in fact, the temporary ban imposed by some EU countries was not due to Europe somehow hoarding Ukrainian grain instead of allowing it to be sent to developing countries, as this disinformation story implies. On the contrary, it is Russia’s blockade of several Black Sea ports what has led to big amounts of Ukrainian grain ending up in central Europe due to logistical bottlenecks.
This disinformation story also promotes another recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about EU disintegration. In fact, the EU is working on solutions together with Ukraine and concerned neighbour EU Member States that address the current situation while making sure to continue to support Ukraine and preserve its capabilities to export its grains. To better understand the situation when preparing the first support package, the European Commission invited the concerned Member States to provide a detailed assessment of the impact of increased imports from Ukraine on farmers’ normal farming operations, taking into account, among others, the supply availabilities and production value potentially affected. The European Commission analysed the information received and proposed the support to the most affected Member States from the EU agricultural reserve funds. Some of these countries have agreed to lift all restrictions while awaiting for a solution.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that the EU is causing a global food shortage by keeping all the grain from Ukraine, that Ukrainian grain goes to Europe instead of poor and developing countries, that the actions of Western countries led to the blockade of grain supplies, or that EU sanctions undermine global food security.