Biden, during his opening remarks at the Quad Leaders’ Summit in Tokyo, warned that the global food crisis could worsen if Russia continues blocking Ukraine from exporting its grains…reports Asian Lite News
US President Joe Biden on Tuesday said that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, is trying to “extinguish a culture”, and called the invasion of Ukraine a “global issue”.
Biden, during his opening remarks at the Quad Leaders’ Summit in Tokyo, warned that the global food crisis could worsen if Russia continues blocking Ukraine from exporting its grains, media reported.
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) comprises India, the US, Japan and Australia. This is the first in-person summit of these leaders after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, worsening Sri Lankan economic crisis, and Australia getting a new Prime Minister.
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Biden said: “Putin is just trying to extinguish a culture. This is more than just a European issue, it’s a global issue. Global food crisis may worsen by Russia blocking Ukraine from exporting its grains.”
During the summit, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida underlined that the Russian invasion of Ukraine “squarely challenges” the principles enshrined in the UN Charter.
The Quad leaders vowed to stand together for a free and open Indo-Pacific at the start of talks. Biden stressed that the US will be a strong, steady and enduring partner in the region.
Meanwhile, the member countries pledged to meet challenges for ensuring rules-based maritime order, including in the East and South China Seas, and strongly opposed any coercive, provocative, or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo.
“We will champion adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the maintenance of freedom of navigation and overflight, to meet challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the East and South China Seas,” read the Joint QUAD statement.
“We strongly oppose any coercive, provocative or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo and increase tensions in the area, such as the militarization of disputed features, the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, and efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploitation activities,” it added.
