Russia's war against Ukraine to cast 40-50 million people into hunger: Blinken

Berlin: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday (June 25) said that Russia's war against Ukraine will add another 40 or 50 million more people to the ranks of the hungry, Reuters reported.

Speaking at a joint news conference with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Blinken said that there is no reason other than Russia's blockade of Ukraine and Russia's refusal in many cases to export its own grain for political reasons.

"I would like to highlight that in contrast to what Russia says, it is not the sanctions (that) are responsible" for the crisis, he said.

"Food security is a global good that must not be utilized as a tool for political means," he added.

Baerbock further added that international partners were working together to counter Russia's "cynical" and potentially destabilizing grains war and the corresponding propaganda.

According to Baerbock, all international partners need to work together to counter Russia's "cynical", potentially destabilizing grains war and the corresponding propaganda.

Accusing Russia of taking the world hostage with its "grain war", Baerbock said Moscow is "deliberately causing food prices to explode ... in order to destabilise entire countries".

Grain deliveries across the Black Sea have been stalled by minefields and a Russian military blockade of Ukrainian ports as a result of Russia's invasion of top agricultural exporter Ukraine.

Due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, food prices have soared and contributed to the global spike in inflation.

Because of their heavy dependence on Russian and Ukrainian wheat, poorer African countries are the most affected as to the United Nations.

Beleaguered British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged an additional 372 million pounds ($456 million) in aid for the countries worst affected by rising global food prices, including 130 million pounds for the World Food Programme this financial year.