Pope Francis urges not to use grain as 'weapon of war'

Pope Francis appealed to authorities on Wednesday to lift a block on exports of wheat from Ukraine, saying the grain could not be used as a “weapon of war.”

Many millions of people, particularly in the world’s poorest countries, depend on wheat from Ukraine, the pope told a general audience of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square, calling for the block to be lifted.

"Please! Do not use wheat, a basic foodstuff, as a weapon of war,” he added, to applause from the crowd.

Ukraine is desperately trying to export its vast stores of grain by road, river and rail to help avert the crisis, but has no chance of hitting its targets unless Russia lifts a blockade of its Black Sea ports, an agriculture official said last week.