Scholz urged to prepare for rising energy and food prices in 2023

WASHINGTON, Sep 20 – PRIME German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed the opinion that 2023 may be more difficult than the current year in terms of rising prices for energy, fertilizers and food.

“Next year may be even more difficult in terms of rising energy prices, fertilizers. We also need to be prepared for rising food prices,” he said, speaking at the UN Global Food Summit.

Scholz also called “Russian disinformation” allegations that most of the Ukrainian grain exported from the Black Sea ports as part of a food deal goes by the developing countries and states with economies in transition.

In Istanbul on July 22, multilateral agreements were signed on lifting restrictions on the supply of Russian products for export and on Russia’s assistance in the export of Ukrainian grain. The deal, which was signed by representatives of Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the UN, involves the export of Ukrainian grain, food and fertilizer across the Black Sea from three ports, including Odessa.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin pointed out in early September that the West was exporting most Ukrainian grain to its own states, and not to needy countries in Africa. In his opinion, it is worth discussing the restrictions on this route with the President of Turkey. Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said earlier that part of the food deal concerning the export of Russian food and fertilizers is not working. Because of this, according to him, the termination of the agreement is not ruled out.

Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24. President Vladimir Putin called its goal “the protection of people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years.” For this, according to him, it is planned to carry out “demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine”, to bring to justice all war criminals responsible for “bloody crimes against civilians” in Donbass. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces strike only at the military infrastructure and Ukrainian troops and, as of March 25, they have completed the main tasks of the first stage – they have significantly reduced the combat potential of Ukraine. The main goal in the Russian military department was called the liberation of Donbass.

After the start of the Russian special operation in Ukraine, Western countries began to impose sanctions against the Russian Federation, in particular, on Russian energy resources. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the policy of containing and weakening Russia is a long-term strategy for the West, and sanctions have dealt a serious blow to the entire global economy.