UN chief ‘deeply concerned’ by risk of global hunger due to Ukraine war
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says he is “deeply concerned” about the risk of global hunger caused by the war in Ukraine, nearly three months after Russia launched a military offensive against the former Soviet republic.
The UN chief, who was speaking at a joint press conference with Austria’s chancellor in Vienna on Wednesday, said global hunger might be on the horizon as the deadly war threatened food security in different parts of the globe.
“I have to say that I am deeply concerned, namely with the risks of hunger becoming widespread in different parts of the world because of the dramatic food security situation we are facing because of the war in Ukraine,” Guterres said.
Russia announced the offensive against Ukraine on February 24.
The war has sent global prices for grains, cooking oils, fuel, and fertilizer soaring, with UN agencies warning that the price hikes will worsen a food crisis in Africa.
Guterres further said that talks were underway to evacuate more civilians from war zones in Ukraine, expressing confidence that more evacuations would happen in the future.
Moscow and Kiev have held at least two rounds of peace talks in Turkey but failed to agree on ending the war, which has disrupted shipping in the Black Sea, a major route for grains and other commodities, severely impeding exports from Ukraine and Russia.
In earlier remarks, Guterres had said that there was little likelihood of peace talks happening anytime soon. “This war will not last forever. There will be a time when peace negotiations will take place;” however, “I do not see that in the immediate future.”
Nevertheless, the UN chief added that he “can say one thing. We will never give up.”
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