Ukraine urges PACE to strengthen intl mechanisms protecting food security

Ukraine has called on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to bolster international mechanisms that protect food security during wartime and to hold Russia accountable for using hunger as a weapon, the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture said following a meeting of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development in Paris on Thursday.

Deputy Minister Taras Vysotsky reminded attendees that before the full-scale invasion, Ukraine supplied food to as many as 400 million people worldwide. Despite ongoing attacks, the country remains a critical player in global food markets. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine has exported roughly 250 million tonnes of food, of which more than 165 million tonnes were cereals. Ukraine accounts for about 36% of global sunflower oil exports, 38% of sunflower meal, 13% of corn and 7% of wheat, among other products.

Vysotsky drew attention to humanitarian programs such as Grain from Ukraine, which has already assisted roughly 20 million people in the most vulnerable regions of Africa and Asia.

"Today international food security is not only an economic issue but a matter of survival. Russia is deliberately using hunger as a weapon by destroying Ukraine’s agricultural and energy infrastructure. Such actions threaten millions of people far beyond Ukraine’s borders," the deputy minister said.

The committee adopted a resolution entitled "Ensuring Sustainable Food Security in Times of Crisis." The document aligns with core international norms that prohibit the use of hunger as a method of warfare. Ukraine called for strengthening international mechanisms to protect food security and for ensuring Russia is held accountable for using hunger as a weapon.

"PACE’s resolution is an important step to defend the right to food and to build resilient food systems in Europe and globally. Ukraine will continue to be a guarantor of global food security, but to do so we need a united stance from the international community and effective mechanisms to hold the aggressor accountable," Vysotsky said.