Biden blames Russia for high prices, disruption of wheat supplies

U.S. President Joe Biden said Friday that military operations launched by Russia in neighboring Ukraine had caused prices to rise, saying grain shipments from the country had been halted by the war.

Biden stressed that Ukraine has not been able to transfer its grain to the world due to the war that started on February 24.

The US president indicated that he is working with European partners to make the grain stored in Ukraine find its way to world markets and to reduce its prices.

On the energy issue, U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed the announcement by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) about increased production, but said he was not sure it was enough.

Biden, speaking to reporters in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, said: “They have acknowledged a shortage of oil and issued a statement about their intention to increase production. I don’t know if that’s enough. I know it’s a positive thing,” Reuters reported.

However, the US president, besides saying that the “OPEC + announcement” on the increase in production is a positive step, added that “he is not sure if it is enough.”

“As Russian special military operations in Ukraine entered their 100th day, Biden said he would not dictate how they should be done.”

“Later, there will be negotiations and no one knows what they can produce,” Biden said. “We are working to make Ukraine able to defend itself.”

The war in Ukraine has now entered its 100th day, with Russia’s military operations focused on eastern Ukraine, in an effort to tighten control over the Donbas region.

Before the start of the offensive, Russia had declared its recognition of the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, where pro-Moscow separatists are based.

The US president indicated that he is likely to meet with Israeli and some Arab leaders soon.

While Biden accused Moscow of disrupting Ukraine’s ability to export its grains, African Union President Macky Sall of Senegal and Russian President Vladimir Putin of causing the crisis.

The African Union spoke of a Russian pledge to facilitate food exports.

On Friday, Sall said that Putin expressed his desire to facilitate Ukrainian grain exports during a meeting in the resort of Sochi.

Putin informed him of Russia’s readiness to guarantee exports of Russian wheat and fertilizer, Sall said in a statement on Twitter.