International

NATO slams 'dangerous' Russian blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea grain exports

NATO condemned Russia's "dangerous" moves to block Ukrainian grain exports in the Black Sea after urgent consultations with Kyiv on Wednesday following Moscow's withdrawal from a key grain deal last week, AFP reports.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday pressed African leaders attending a summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin to demand answers about a grain crisis that has propelled poorer nations towards crisis.

Speaking ahead of a Russia-Africa sitdown in Putin's hometown of Saint Petersburg, Blinken insisted African leaders knew rising food costs, grain and fertiliser shortages were a direct result of Putin's war in Ukraine.

Several African leaders including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa are expected to attend the Konstantinovsky Palace summit.

"They know exactly who's to blame for this current situation," Blinken said of the leaders, some of whom have offered tacit support for Moscow or refused to denounce Putin's invasion.

"My expectation would be that Russia will hear this clearly from our African partners," he said, speaking during a visit to New Zealand.

Carolina Străjescu

Carolina Străjescu

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