Experts have cautioned that even if the Ukraine war stopped soon, global food supplies will take years to stabilize.
Western officials’ pessimistic assessment came as Liz Truss accused Russia of ‘weaponising hunger’ by blocking grain exports.
Ms Truss cautioned at a press conference in Ankara with counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu that the problem is ‘urgent’ and must be resolved within the next month to prevent ‘devastating consequences.’
Ukraine is recognized as the “bread basket” of the globe, producing large amounts of wheat, corn, and sunflower oil.
However, Vladimir Putin’s invasion and restrictions on access to Black Sea ports, particularly Odesa, have effectively curtailed much of that trade.
The impact has already been apparent in rising costs, with food and energy being the two most important factors in the latest eye-watering UK inflation data released yesterday.
Senior Western officials emphasized the issues generated by Ukraine shipping one million tonnes of grain each month instead of the usual five million.
While rail and road exports could be increased, they would not be able to cover the void left by marine routes.
Even if the conflicts ended immediately, experts predicted a lag since the crop had been severely interrupted, infrastructure had been devastated, and shipping lanes had been mined.
‘If tomorrow the war was over, we are still looking at a two-year crisis globally,’ one official said.
Ms Truss stated that the United Kingdom’s long-standing connection with Turkey is “more important than ever” at a time when “security, sovereignty, and self-determination are under threat.”
She stated that the countries are working “closely together,” namely to get the “grain out of Ukraine.”
Putin, according to the Foreign Secretary, is attempting to ‘hold the world to ransom.’
‘He is using food security as a callous tool of war. He has blocked Ukrainian ports, and is stopping 20 million tonnes of grain being exported across the globe, holding the world to ransom,’ she said.
‘I’m here in Turkey to discuss the plan to get the grain out, supported by the United Nations.
‘We’re clear that commercial vessels need to have safe passage to be able to leave Ukrainian ports, and that Ukrainian ports should be protected from Russian attacks.
‘We support the UN talks, but Russia cannot be allowed to delay and prevaricate. It’s urgent that action is taken within the next month ahead of the new harvest. And we’re determined to work with our allies to deliver this.’
She warned that the world could otherwise see ‘devastating consequences’.
She added that the UK is offering its own ‘expertise’ on ways to bypass the Russian blockade.
‘It is going to require an international effort,’ she warned.
Ms Truss stated that visiting Turkey as Foreign Secretary has been a ‘priority’ for her, as she hopes to ‘deepen’ the connection between the two countries.
She stated that the two will begin discussing a ‘upgraded trade deal that goes further in areas like services, but also in areas like as agriculture, which are not part of the current arrangements.’
‘We do need to increase our industrial capacity and that is an area we’re also focusing on,’ she said.