MOSCOW, July 22. /TASS/. Moscow expects that the European Union’s steps in the field of food security will create conditions for the unhindered export of grain and fertilizers, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

"A document released by the Council of the European Union announces plans to expand exemptions from earlier sanctions in a bid to avoid a possible negative impact on global food and energy security. Unfortunately, we know that there is a huge gap between the intentions that the European Union declares and the steps that it takes. We expect that the EU’s actions in the field of food security will help enhance it and create conditions for the unhindered export of grain, fertilizers and components for their production," she pointed out.

"In a press release dedicated to new sanctions, the Council of the European Union made another attempt to escape responsibility for triggering and exacerbating global food and energy crises. However, the facts speak for themselves," Zakharova added.

According to her, "the West’s short-sighted economic and energy policies are the main reason for a rise in the prices of agricultural products and hydrocarbons, along with the coronavirus pandemic.".