Ukraine and Russia export roughly 30% of wheat, 17% of corn, and more than half of sunflower seed oil to the rest of the world. As both the contending countries are the world’s major breadbaskets, the Russo-Ukraine war could spark a global food crisis.
Ukrainian exports have already been hampered by conflict-induced delays at Black Sea ports—where cargo ships have been hit by Russian rockets—and other war-related obstacles. Furthermore, the boycott of Russian ports by shipping companies, as well as the ripple effects of sanctions, have hindered the supply of food and feed from Russia, causing problems that may worsen as the Kremlin threatens to impose export curbs on some food commodities.
In light of this, one may expect international leaders to take steps to protect their people from the looming threat. This was not the case, however, with US President Joe Biden. He recently made an unexpected remark that reeked of indifference and incompetence. He said, “With regard to food shortage…it’s gonna be real”. “The price of the sanctions is not just imposed upon Russia.”
“It’s imposed upon an awful lot of countries as well, including European countries and our country as well”, the President added.
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The foregoing statements should be condemned unambiguously because Biden knew ahead of time that Russia was planning an invasion of Ukraine. “As of this moment, I’m certain he’s (Putin) made the decision, we have reason to believe so,” Biden stated days before the invasion. The assault could happen in the “coming days,” he reiterated multiple times. Despite this, the Biden administration failed to put in place strategies to cushion the impact of food and oil shortages during the Ukraine-Russia crisis.
Why didn’t Biden make sure the food supply networks remained intact if he was so convinced about the invasion? This is a question that Americans should ask their President. Furthermore, it appears that Biden has prioritised his own interests over those of the American people. “Defending freedom is going to cost,” Biden remarked a month ago when the US placed sanctions on Russian energy imports. “It will cost us in the United States as well.” These words certainly illustrate that he is willing to sacrifice Americans in order to further his own goals against Russia.
The stunning claims about food shortages come from the same Biden who, in 2020, took a swipe at the then-US government and blamed a lack of leadership for the food scarcity.
“It’s being ploughed under. You’ve got– you’re euthanizing cattle and pigs. They’re out there making sure that they’re pouring thousands of gallons of milk into the ground. It’s not a food shortage. It’s a lack of leadership– a lack of leadership”.
BIDEN, TODAY: Food shortages are “going to be real.”
BIDEN, 2020: “We don't have a food shortage problem — we have a leadership problem.” pic.twitter.com/s8uB41FzO9
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 24, 2022
Well, it appears that President Biden finds it convenient to blame Americans for his policy failures. He’s presumably trying to attract the general population ahead of the mid-term elections, so he’s using cliches like asking people to sacrifice in the name of defending “freedom”. However, given its inadequacies, the Biden administration should be well prepared to be humbled by the American people sooner or later.
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