Slamming the Russian Federation for creating a worldwide food shortage, 46-year-old European Council President Charles Michel ripped 69-year-old President Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine War in the U.N. Security Council. Michel didn’t pull any punches, tossing diplomacy to the wind, blasting Russia’s 60-year-old U.N. Amb. Vasilly Nebenzia for Russia creating a global food shortage. But Michel doesn’t take into account that Russia is locked in a pitched battle with the U.S. and Ukraine, seeking, as stated by 79-year-old President Joe Biden, that the purpose of the war is to degrade the Russian military. Putin invaded Ukraine Feb. 24, largely because Ukraine’s 44-year-old President Volodymyr Zelensky continue to seek NATO membership, but, more importantly, received unlimited supplies of lethal weapons from the United States, presenting a national security issue.
Michel wants to pin the potential food crisis on the Russian Federation, even though Ukraine and the U.S. go full steam ahead with the war. As long as the war rages, how is Russia supposed to open up Ukrainian ports now controlled by Russia to release Ukrainian grain shipments? Michel shows zero diplomacy blasting Nebenzia for Russia creating food shortages. No one told Biden and Zelensky to continue the war without heading to Istanbul to resolve the conflict. Michel knows that French President Emmanuel Macron has been given a bad rap by Kiev for suggesting an off ramp for the Russian Federation and Kiev. Michel also ripped the Russian army for sexual violence, describing it as “a tactic of torture, terror and repression.” Nebenzia denied that the Russian Army committed various war crimes in Ukraine. Grandstanding in the Security Council doesn’t lead to peace.
Michel was irked when Nebenzia walked out of his tirade, claiming the Russia ambassador refused to hear the truth. But what is the real truth about Ukraine? What’s known today is that the U.S. has given Ukraine unlimited weapons cash to battle the Russian Federation. Michel mentions nothing about the U.S. supplying Ukraine over the weekend advanced rocket systems designed to hit Russian targets at long range. With the war raging with no end in sight, it’s unrealistic to expect Russia to allow Ukraine to resume grain shipments. Michel says nothing about any peace process other than accusing Russia of causing a grain shortage. “Mr. Ambassador of the Russian Federation, let’s be honest, the Kremlin is using food supplies as a stealth missile against developing countries,” Michel told the Security Council. “Russia is solely responsible for this food crisis.”
Michel knows that the U.S. and Ukraine are actively involved in a war with the Russian Federation. Why does Michel not blame to food crisis on all the warring factions that keep the war going over the needs to the third world, desperately in need of grain shipments? Michel can’t possibly think that, despite starting the war, Russia is the only combatant. U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres has been trying to broker a deal to allow Ukrainian grain shipment to resume leaving ports in the middle of the war. “You may leave the room, maybe it’s easier no to listen to the truth,” Michel told Nabenzia, knowing that Russia rejects accusations of war crimes. “The lies of that Charles Michel came to distribute,” Nabenzia said, rejecting all Michel’s accusations. If someone on the Security Council wants to see progress in getting grains to market, they need to foster a more cooperative atmosphere.
With so much hatred directed toward the Kremlin, it’s difficult to make any progress toward brokering a ceasefire and ending the conflict. Michel can rant-and-rave all he wants but he’s preaching to the pro-Western choir, that has zero empathy for Russia’s position on Ukraine. Now that the U.S. has funded a proxy war against the Russian Federation using Ukrainian troops, there’s little Russia can do other than defend itself. Restoring grain or natural gas shipments would be good for all parties concerned but won’t happen until both sides can sit down and find a solution that works for both sides. Ripping Nabenzia does nothing to improve the dialogue needed to eventually restore normal business ties with Ukraine. Russia finds itself battling the United States to defend the Russian army. Biden signaled he wants Putin removed from power, something beyond the war’s scope.
Defending the invasion, Ukraine hoped to restore Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, even though Russia had control of Donetsk, Luhansk and the Crimea Peninsula before Feb. 24. Michel must get the big picture that Ukraine refused Putin’s conditions for ending the conflict, deciding instead to launch a full-scale war against the Russian Federation. Instead of slamming the Russian Federation, Michel would help Ukraine’s position by opening up the doors to diplomacy and eventual peace talks. As long as Michel accuses Russia or war crimes and using grain shipments as a weapon, the Kremlin won’t compromise with the EU. Michel thinks it’s Russia fault in the middle of a war to make room for Ukraine to start making money off grain shipments, when Kiev has done everything possible to destroy Russia’s economy in coordination with U.S. and EU sanctions.
