"We call on Russia to live up to its international obligations to treat all individuals captured fighting with Ukraine's armed forces as prisoners of war," they [State Department spokesperson] said.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/23/politics/americans-killed-ukraine-donbas/index.htmlSo they gave up trying to justify exceptions by claims of dual citizenship or whatever and now straight up saying that there are no more mercs at all? Does that mean that everyone will now have to treat all Iran's mercs in other conflicts as prisoners of war? Or it's another double standard that somehow only applies to Ukraine?
A top State Department official said that pressure from the global community and Russia's need for money from its own agricultural exports may have led Moscow to sign an agreement to allow Ukrainian grain to transit through the Black Sea. “This came together because, I think, Russia ultimately felt the hot breath of global opprobrium,” said Victoria Nuland, undersecretary of state for political affairs.
https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-news-07-22-22/h_d3eaea1b11c234af3193407e2f0f884fWhy why are they allowing Nuland to speak? Hasn't she done enough? The message was always clear Russia applying pressure to Ukraine #5 wheat exporter (8.5%) was the reason for global food shortages
U.S. Treasury: Agricultural, Medical Products Not Part of Russia Sanctions Now Nuland goes off yapping her mouth admitting that apparently there was pressure from "global community" to a #1 agricultural exporter? So global shortages in food are because of pressure to a #5 exporter but not to #1 exporter?
someone take her microphone away!
Nobody is stopping Russia from exporting grain...or any agriculture commodities...so...yeah....someone give her microphone back.
Umm you might want to reread this, who said anything about stopping? Strawman much? Nobody is stopping Ukraine from exporting grain either. State Department said that global community applying
pressure to Russia's agricultural exports. You know blockading ports, preventing insuring vessels and their refueling...
The "West" has nothing to do with exports critical to agriculture and food supply, that is just RF propaganda.
Agricultural exports including fertilisers are specifically excluded from sanctions. You can use ships under non-RF flags (even UNDER RF flags as well!)and export these insured and freely. Particualrly, fertilisers are massively produced in the RF and it would be crazy to block them.
In 2020, Russia exported $7.6B in Fertilizers, making it the 1st largest exporter of Fertilizers in the world. At the same year, Fertilizers was the 7th most exported product in Russia. The main destination of Fertilizers exports from Russia are: Brazil ($1.43B), Estonia ($555M), India ($540M), China ($531M), and United States ($442M).
How much of the worlds Fertiliser comes from Russia?
A top fertilizer producer, Russia accounts for 15% of global trade in nitrogenous fertilizers and 17% of global potash fertilizer exports, according to the Food Policy Research Institute. The country is also responsible for 20% of the global natural gas trade, a key component in manufacturing fertilizers.
https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/nigeria/eu-sanctions-do-not-restrict-eu-and-third-countries’-trade-agrifood-products_en?s=114EU sanctions cover only bilateral trade between the EU and Russia – not international trade!
EU sanctions have no extra-territorial effect. Third country persons and firms can import agrifood from Russia under EU sanctions if they do that entirely outside the EU.
EU’s sanctions excluded a limited number of Russian banks from the SWIFT network. Banking relations via SWIFT can still continue via the other Russian banks.
Agricultural products in Russia are not targeted by EU sanctions!
EU sanctions do not prohibit EU businesses to purchase, import or pay for Russian agricultural products, provided that sanctioned persons are not involved. The EU has carefully avoided a direct and comprehensive ban on the import of Russian agricultural products.
EU Member States can grant access to EU ports of vessels flying the Russian flag, as well as entry to the EU of Russian road carriers for the purposes of importing or transporting agricultural products, including fertilisers and wheat, that are not subject to prohibitions.
On regards to this declaration:
A top State Department official said that pressure from the global community and Russia's need for money from its own agricultural exports may have led Moscow to sign an agreement to allow Ukrainian grain to transit through the Black Sea. “This came together because, I think, Russia ultimately felt the hot breath of global opprobrium,” said Victoria Nuland, undersecretary of state for political affairs.
It is much simpler: The RF is quite influential in a number of countries (mainly in Africa) who are the first affected if there are global food shortages and the first that would undergo a
"Malthusian Positive Check".
For the US or EU citizen the tomato goes from 1.5 USD per kilo to 2.5 USD per kilo. For the struggling countries this simply means death. This means that the RF has very little to gain from constraining food supplies versus the loss of soft diplomacy influence they require.
