Africa a 'hostage' of Russia's Ukraine war: Zelensky tells AU
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that Africa was "a hostage" of Russia's war on Ukraine which has spurred global food shortages and famine fears across the African continent.
But he said Kyiv was engaged in "complex negotiations" to unblock the grain trapped at its Black Sea ports by Russia's naval blockade.
"Africa is actually a hostage... of those who unleashed war against our state," Zelensky said in an address to the African Union.
Russia's invasion and its blockade of Ukraine's ports has paralysed grain exports from one of the world's largest producers, sparked dramatic grain and fertiliser shortages and put hundreds of millions of people at risk of hunger.
The global grain crisis would last as long as Russia pressed its "colonial war.
"We are conducting complex multilevel negotiations to unblock our Ukrainian ports. But there is no progress yet because no real tool has yet been found to ensure Russia does not attack them again," he admitted.
So far, global organisations had not yet found a way to convince Russia to end its invasion.
"That is why the food crisis in the world will continue as long as this colonial war continues."
He said Kyiv wanted to "intensify" dialogue with African Union member states and would soon appoint a special representative for Africa.
