The European Union plans to address rising wheat and fertilizer prices and expected shortages in the Balkans, North Africa and the Middle East by deploying "food diplomacy" to counter Russia's narrative about the impact of its invasion of Ukraine, diplomats and EU officials said.
Food uncertainty is causing "dissatisfaction" in vulnerable countries in these regions, while Moscow presents the crisis as a result of Western sanctions against Russia, a European Union diplomat told Reuters.
This represents a potential threat to the influence of the EU, which plans to counter it with "food diplomacy and a battle of narratives", said the diplomat.
President Vladimir Putin said last Sunday that Western sanctions against Russia caused a global food crisis and led to a dizzying growth in energy supplies.
The EU's neighbors, especially Egypt and Lebanon, are heavily dependent on wheat and artificial fertilizers from Ukraine and Russia. They are facing rising prices after stocks have fallen since Moscow launched what it calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine.
"We cannot risk losing that region," another EU diplomat told the British agency.
The bloc also wants to step up international efforts to mitigate the impact of shortages and, together with the UN's World Food Program, is announcing new initiatives.
France, the largest agricultural producer in the EU, is in favor of the "FARM" initiative, which would include a mechanism for the global distribution of food to poorer countries.
France wants to secure international agreement for its plan before the end of its six-month EU presidency in June, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said.
Hungary proposes to increase EU agricultural production by changing climate targets.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is considering the possibility of financing food imports.
However, the EU's foreign affairs service said cooperation with FAO director-general Kuo Dongyu on global food uncertainty was "challenging", according to an EU document seen by Reuters, adding that the EU was pushing the FAO to act quickly.
The EU wants to step up international efforts to mitigate the impact of shortages and together with the UN World Food Program is announcing new initiatives.
FAO did not want to comment on Director Ku's relations with the EU.
In a series of recommendations on the FAO website, Ku states: "Countries that depend on food imports from Russia and Ukraine should look for alternative suppliers to mitigate the shock."
Brussels believes that the Russian communication campaign about the food crisis is actually spreading disinformation, said one diplomat, adding that the EU has not restricted food trade with Russia.
Food is exempt from EU sanctions on Russian exports, according to Reuters.
Russia is also making it difficult for Ukraine to send agricultural products by attacking ports and bombing wheat warehouses, European foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said on Monday.
Russia, which has restricted wheat exports, recently bombed several fuel depots in Ukraine.
And although wheat warehouses are full, Ukraine cannot export due to fuel shortages, EU officials said.
The EU is trying to facilitate food exports through Poland and is supporting fuel deliveries to Ukrainian farmers to ease the situation, officials said.
The EU also provides financial support to the most vulnerable countries, and last Sunday announced 225 million euros in aid to North Africa and the Middle East.
Almost half of it is intended for Egypt, the largest country in the region, while Lebanon, Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco and the Palestinian Authority will receive funds from emergency funds, each of these countries is allocated between 15 and 25 million euros.
Another 300 million euros in the form of support for agriculture will be provided to the countries of the Western Balkans within the regular EU funds intended for that region, and EU officials say that the situation in Serbia is considered particularly worrying due to the intense Russian communications there.
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