OREANDA-NEWS. The countries of the European Union should prepare for a shortage of grain in the market due to the situation in Ukraine. This is reported by RIA Novosti with reference to the First Deputy Foreign Minister of Greece Miltiadis Varvitsiotis. According to him, this situation could lead to higher prices, as well as unrest in North Africa and the Middle East.

We need to start preparing for what will happen as a result of military operations in Ukraine, and this is a possible shortage of basic grains in the market, he said.

Varvitsiotis also commented on the rise in energy prices in European countries. According to him, the European Union has not yet come to a unified response to this challenge, which puts the economic viability of all citizens of the community at great risk. He believes that the response to the energy crisis should be a pan-European one, because not every country alone can cope with its consequences.

The Deputy Foreign Minister of Greece added that today at the EU General Affairs Council, the participants plan to discuss the topic of Ukraine, in particular the provision of humanitarian assistance, as well as additional sanctions against Russia.

Earlier, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian called on the European Union and its partners, including non-profit organizations, to consider the issue of food security in order to prevent a major global food crisis amid the situation in Ukraine. According to him, today's situation "will lead to the risk of famine tomorrow."