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“I am sure that you have been following the events. I know that the Western media presents the situation in a totally distorted manner. If only to mention the so-called food crisis, as if nothing was of concern before February this year,” Mr. Sergey Lavrov said in a statement he made, at the Russian Embassy in Addis Ababa, to diplomats from member countries of the African Union.
It was indicated that the Russian Embassy had to organise the meeting with the diplomats and media at the Russian Embassy as the African Union venue was apparently scheduled.
Mr. Lavrov, in his statement, painted the evolution of the crisis in Ukraine and Russia’s diplomatic efforts for nearly a decade to avoid escalation due to security concerns to the Russian Federation.
“And we suggested to them [western countries] respective treaties several times. First, back in 2009 and the last attempt was in December of 2021. And they told us, “Look gentlemen, first there would be no legally binding security guarantees except for NATO members. And second, as regards Ukraine, the relations between NATO and Ukraine are none of your business.” And that was the end of it. ” He added, “Russia, as any other self-respectful country has the right to determine itself what is good for its security and what is not.”
Western countries are projecting that it is “freedom” that is under attack in Ukraine.
Mr. Lavrov thinks that the attempt to paint Ukraine as a grand international problem does not hold water. He said it is more complicated than that and he “senses’ ‘ there is understanding about it.
In rejecting the western media narrative about the causes of the current global food crisis – which mainstream media seem to paint as Russia – Mr. Lavrov argued that the problem related to food in the world market existed before the military conflict ( military operation as Russia calls it) in Ukraine.
“If you read the reports of the World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization, you will refresh your memory and establish the fact that the problems in the world food market started at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when in an attempt to fight this virus and the pandemic consequences the US, the EU and Japan have made an emission for eight trillion dollars’ worth without any economic substantiation, and they use this empty money to buy food and all other goods which they believe would be necessary in case pandemic takes long and there will be closure of countries,” he said.
For him, it has something to do with fertiliser prices too – which happened before the war. He linked the increase in the price of Fertilisers to what he called “the reckless policy of the Western countries on the so-called Green Transition.” That had its own impact on world food prices, because, he said “the energy supplies, the classical energy resources were more or less discriminated.”
Mr Lavrod did not dismiss the war in Ukraine as a factor in the global food crisis. But his interpretation of it is different from one that is painted in the western mainstream media.
“And yes,”, he said, ” the situation in Ukraine did affect, additionally, negatively affected food markets. But not because of the Russian special operation, rather due to the absolutely inadequate reaction of the West, which announced sanctions, undermining the availability of the food on the markets.”
Based on Mr. Lavrov’s statement, Russia has explained [to the west ] about it.
“When we explain this to them, they say, “Food and fertilizers are not covered by sanctions”. Yes, but you know, half-truth is worse than a lie. And the truth is that the list of sanctions does not contain an item saying “food”, but what it does contain is prohibition for the Russian ships to call to the ports in the Mediterranean, prohibition for the foreign ships to call on the Russian ports, to pick up food and other cargo, prohibition to insure the Russian ships, because of which insurance prices quadrupled overnight. And of course, prohibition for the main Russian bank, Russian Agricultural Bank, which has always served the payments for Russian food exports – it was listed in the European Union sanctions,” Mr Lavrov told diplomatic corps and representatives of member states of the African Union, in the Ethiopian Capital, Addis Ababa.
There was a brief question and answer session before Mr. Lavrov has to rush to meet with Ethiopia’s Foreign Affairs Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Demeke Mekonnen.
The full statement is available HERE
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