NNA - Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio warned Wednesday that millions of people could die of hunger unless Russia unblocked Ukraine’s ports, as he hosted talks among Mediterranean ministers on the food crisis.

“The next few weeks will be crucial to resolving the situation,” Di Maio said after a virtual meeting involving Turkey and Lebanon among other countries, as well as G7 president Germany and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization.

“I want to say clearly, we expect clear and concrete signals from Russia, because blocking grain exports means holding hostage and condemning to death millions of children, women and men.” --AFP

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