UN official says ‘food is being used as a weapon of war’ in Russia-Ukraine conflict

David Beasley, the executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme, on Sunday said “food is being used as a weapon of war” in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

“We’ve seen food depots that have been blown away, I’ve seen places where there’s nothing in these warehouses but food, and that’s not even in Mariupol. And so there is no question food is being used as a weapon of war in many different ways here,” Beasley told moderator Margaret Brennan on CBS’s “Face the Nation” when asked about Russian President Vladimir Putin using starvation as a weapon.

Asked if he is confident that the World Food Programme can keep food supply lines open, Beasley said “no, I’m not.”

He said the group is unable to reach Mariupol, the city currently under siege by Russia.

“I’m not confident at all. In fact, we’re reaching millions of people, us and all of the partners in the international community here inside Ukraine. But there are places that we can’t reach, like in Mariupol, in other places where Russian forces have besieged the city and are not allowing us the access we need,” he added.

Beasley’s comments come after President Biden last month warned that global food shortages could evolve as a result of the Russian invasion. Global food prices have already hit record levels.