Senator Tillis warns Putin will use winter to starve Africa via Ukrainian grain attacks

In an interview with Radio Liberty while in Ukraine, Senator Thom Tillis, who co-chairs the Senate NATO Observer Group, argued that President Vladimir Putin is counting on the winter season to bolster his leverage after surviving the cold months. Tillis said Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian agricultural infrastructure, including a Cargill facility, are part of a plan to cripple Ukraine’s grain export chain and threaten food security in Africa.

He emphasized that these attacks should be framed as assaults on a sovereign state and democratic values rather than isolated hits on U.S. companies. The senator called for greater U.S. support to prevent Russia from using winter as a tool of pressure. He also noted that cargo handling at Odesa ports has fallen dramatically, reflecting the impact of the attacks on Ukraine’s export capacity.