Putin Blames US for Grain Market Disruption

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday in a speech to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that Russia was not to blame for rising prices on the global grain market.

Putin accused the United States of driving up food prices by printing money and "snapping up" food on global markets.

Putin said that Russia stood ready to boost its exports of grain and fertilizers, and that Russia would send food exports to Africa and the Middle East.