EU pledges 600m Euro to help vulnerable nations affected by Ukraine war

Adebayo Obajemu

The European Union, EU, has said it would roll out 600 million Euro to help the vulnerable nations in Africa and the Caribbean whose economies have been badly affected by the Russian military campaign in Ukraine sparkled by the Vladimir Putin administration’s opposition to the Ukraine bid to join the European Union.

According to EU president, Ursula von Leyen ,the pledged money will help Africa and other poor nations especially in solving food crisis.

The funds include 150 million euros in humanitarian assistance for African, Caribbean and Pacific nations and 350 million euros to boost sustainable food production in the longer term.

According to her, “Russia’s war of aggression is taking a heavy and senseless toll, not only on the Ukrainian population but also those most vulnerable around the world.

“Russia is still blocking millions of tonnes of desperately needed grain. To help our partners we will mobilise an additional 600 million euros to avoid a food crisis and an economic shock.”

Recall that the West and Ukraine accuse Moscow of trying to pressure them into concessions by blockading vital grain exports via the Black Sea to ratchet up fears of global famine. But the EU has struggled to counter the Kremlin’s claims, which attribute rising prices and shortfalls in the Middle East and Africa to the bloc’s sanctions imposed on Russia.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday called Russia’s blockade “a real war crime” and warned that Moscow would be held responsible if it keeps on stopping exports.

According to EU, the funds will help reduce the devastating impact of the war on vulnerable nations, especially in global South.
The war has led to blockades of wheat by the Russians which has affected many nations across the globe.