The US ambassador to the United Nations said today that she respects Mozambique's foreign policy, but reaffirmed the position that it cannot be neutral in the face of the war in Ukraine.

"We can't be neutral when one country attacks another, especially when that country is a member of the UN Security Council," he said, referring to Russia.

"It's important that the world sees this for what it is: an attack on the UN charter, on the sovereignty of an independent country and on a neighbor. We call on the world to help Ukraine defend itself," said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, quoted by Lusa, at a press conference at the end of a two-day visit to Mozambique.

Nevertheless, "Mozambique's positions are Mozambique's positions," he stressed.

"We don't ask countries to take sides or choose between friends. Mozambique is an independent country and takes its positions," he added.

Mozambique has abstained from votes condemning Russia at the United Nations and took up a two-year mandate as a non-permanent member of the Security Council in January.

The Mozambican head of state, Filipe Nyusi, has said that neutrality puts Mozambique in a better position to promote dialogue.

Regardless of their differences, Linda Thomas-Greenfield today reaffirmed her desire to work closely with Mozambique, especially in areas such as the climate crisis and security in southern Africa.

"We work together with Mozambique and with each member of the Security Council" because if the countries that make it up don't cooperate, the body "doesn't work", he stressed.

The US ambassador met today with officials from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Mozambique, who told her about shortages of some products and steep price rises in others, such as fertilizers, since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.

These are factors that aggravate food insecurity in Africa, he said, but "records show that Russia exported at least as much, if not more wheat after the war than before".

Faced with global risks, the US "supports the UN Secretary General's Black Sea initiative to enable more exports from Ukraine and Russia," he commented.

"But despite the initiative, Russia continues to block access to the Black Sea," hindering the flow of wheat, "with great impact" on Africa, he concluded.

Before leaving Mozambique for Kenya on her African tour, Linda Thomas-Greenfield visited UN agencies and considered that the "impact of international aid on the Mozambican people has been impressive".

The US is the largest donor of humanitarian aid to Mozambique.