Andrii Dykun, chairman of the Ukrainian Agri Council (UAC), has accused Russia of using food as a weapon in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
The event, 'Rebuilding Ukrainian Agriculture', was part of the Forum for the Future of Agriculture (pictured), which took place in Brussels. It gathered representatives from EU institutions, EU member state associations, and Ukraine to discuss strategies for aligning Ukraine's agricultural sector with EU standards.
Agriculture Supports
The conference addressed key issues, including financing plans for Ukrainian agricultural producers, access to EU and global food markets, and Ukraine's role in global food security and agri-food supply.
Dykun called for sanctions on Russian and Belarusian agricultural producers to help restore Ukraine's agricultural sector. He noted that Russia's agriculture relies on European technologies, machinery, and seeds. He advocated for a ban on exporting these goods from the EU to Russia to hinder its agricultural development.
'Food As A Weapon'
"Russia is using food as a weapon in the war with Ukraine," Dykun stated. "They blocked the Black Sea to stop Ukrainian farmers from exporting products and took over our market in China. Many technologies and resources from the EU are still reaching Russia. To stop Russia, we need to prohibit these exports."
Dykun also argued that Ukraine's EU membership would improve trade relations and support global food security without burdening the EU budget.
"Ukraine does not need subsidies," he said. "We need support in defence, not agribusiness subsidies. We can increase soybean production for the EU and supply rapeseed for biofuel production. Ukraine can produce over 10 million tonnes of sugar and support the EU dairy sector. The EU lacks growth potential in cattle breeding and dairy, but Ukraine does."
