President Joe Biden warned on Thursday at the NATO summit in Brussels that a food shortage is imminent following the effect of sanctions levied against Russia coming into effect.
The statement contradicts comments from his press secretary, Jen Psaki, who stated on Monday that “we're not expecting a food shortage here at home.”
"With regard to food shortage, yes, we did talk about food shortages, and it's going to be real," Biden said while taking questions from the press.
"The price of the sanctions is not just imposed upon Russia," he added. "It's imposed upon an awful lot of countries as well, including European countries and our country as well."
The economic penalties against Russia were rolled out on Feb. 21 when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the Kremlin would recognize two pro-Russia separatist states in Ukraine and station Russian troops within their borders, according to Pearl Cohen.
When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, even harsher sanctions were imposed. Since then, the West has increasingly penalized the country.
Biden said the reason for the likely shortage stems from Russia and Ukraine being large suppliers of wheat, and that he and other leaders are discussing how to "increase and disseminate" food production.
"In addition to that, we talked about urging all the European countries, and everyone else, to end trade … limitations on sending food abroad," Biden said. "And so, we are in the process of working out with our European friends what it would take to help alleviate the concerns relative to the food shortages."
U.S. officials also sounded the alarm on Russia's invasion having a more immediate effect on the Middle East and Africa's food security, The Hill reported.
“Russia's war of aggression threatens to disrupt the supply of critical agricultural commodities from the Black Sea region, which jeopardizes global food security, particularly for vulnerable populations in the Middle East and Africa,” officials said.
via newsmax