July 20, 2023

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on July 19 posted on Twitter a comment criticizing Russia’s decision to pull out of an agreement regarding Ukraine’s grain export via the Black Sea.

Russia’s Putin administration two days earlier unilaterally announced its decision to halt its participation in the U.N.-brokered agreement that enables Ukraine to ship its grain through the Black Sea.

Shii in his comment pointed out that the worldwide surge in food and energy prices following the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been threatening the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable people, especially those in developing countries. He said that Russia’s latest decision will aggravate this situation and thus is totally unacceptable.

Noting that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on Moscow to hold talks aimed at rejoining the grain export deal, Shii said that Russia should stop using food as a weapon in the Ukraine war and immediately retract its suspension decision.