Russia will allow the unblocking of grain exports from Ukrainian ports, but on its terms . Flown to Ankara after the visit to Belgrade faded due to the closure of European airspace, Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov embraces Turkey's mediation efforts and promises that the demining of the waters off the Black Sea coast would not be used by Moscow to attack the stopovers.
"These - he said - are the guarantees of the president of Russia and we are ready to formalize them in one way or another". But the first step, he warned, falls to Kiev with the demining of the ports . To facilitate a solution to the world food crisis, he explained, Russia is ready to negotiate with the UN mediation . But from the West, Moscow wants sanctions to be eased in exchange .
A request sponsored by Turkey , a NATO member who from the beginning decided not to apply punitive measures to "maintain a balanced position" and safeguard political and commercial relations with Russia. "If we are to open the Ukrainian international market, we think that removing obstacles to Russian exports is legitimate," explained Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. However, the response from Kiev came immediately. "The real cause of this crisis - reiterated Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba - is Russian aggression, not sanctions".
The dialogue between the deaf also continues on the possible meeting between Putin and Zelensky . The ball is in the Kiev field, Lavrov reiterated.
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Here is the news by the hour.
Kiev: "No concrete agreement on wheat between Ankara and Moscow"
No concrete agreement was reached in the Ankara meeting between the representatives of Russia and Turkey: now Ukraine awaits communication between the Ukrainian and Turkish sides. This was announced in a briefing by the ambassador of Ukraine to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar, as reported by Ukrainska Pravda. "We now look forward to communication between the Ukrainian and Turkish sides to find common ground," said Bodnar, stressing that it is important for Ukraine that Turkey continues to act as mediator and negotiate with both Ukraine and with Russia.
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Kiev, school destroyed by Russian raids in Bakhmut: there are victims
A school and an administrative building were hit by Russian air raids in Bakhmut, Donetsk oblast this morning. "The school was completely destroyed", the Ukrainian Interior Ministry reported, quoted by Ukrinform, adding that according to the first information of the rescuers on the spot there were victims.
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Kiev: "The cause of the wheat crisis is Russian aggression, not sanctions"
The world wheat crisis is caused "by Russian aggression" and "not by sanctions". This was stated by Kiev, replying to the statements of the Moscow government.
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Eight new war crimes cases filed
Ukraine has filed eight new cases of war crimes against Russia, which are being investigated in court, the BBC reports. Iryna Venediktova, Prosecutor General of Ukraine, said she had filed eight other cases in court, in addition to the three sentences already inflicted on Russian soldiers found guilty of war crimes. 21-year-old soldier Vadim Shishimarin was sentenced to life in prison for killing an unarmed civilian, while Alexander Bobikin and Alexander Ivanov were given 11 and a half years each. Ukraine is investigating more than 16,000 potential war crimes committed by Russia, Venediktova told Ukrainian TV today.
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Negotiations, Lavrov: "The ball is in the Kiev field"
"We see a number of such position changes every day, so we believe the negotiating groups should get back to their work first," Lavrov said according to Interfax. "The ball - declared the Russian minister - has been in the Ukraine field for almost two months, since mid-April, and they have changed the position they presented earlier in Istanbul".
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Ankara: "Possible resumption of negotiations"
There is the possibility of a resumption of the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to reach a ceasefire. This was announced by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, as reported by Anadolu, during a joint press conference in Ankara with his Russian counterpart Serghei Lavrov.
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Turkey: "Russian request to lift sanctions is legitimate"
Russia's request to lift the sanctions is "legitimate", says Turkey as part of the talks between Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Russian counterpart Serghei Lavrov in Ankara on the food crisis.
"The food crisis does not originate from this war," Russian Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov said during a joint press conference with Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu. "The Russian federation has not created any obstacles for the passage" Lavrov said of the ships with agricultural products blocked in Ukrainian ports, arguing that only the West sees this situation as a "catastrophe". What is blocked, Lavorv said, is only "1%" of world grain production.
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Turkey: "Safe corridors for wheat soon"
The "technical preparation" to create safe corridors for the transport of grain from Ukrainian ports across the Black Sea "will be completed as soon as possible". This was stated by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu during a joint press conference in Ankara with his Russian counterpart Serghei Lavrov broadcast by State TV TRT.
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Di Maio: "We expect concrete facts about wheat from Moscow"
"We appreciate all the attempts at mediation and we hope that the dialogue between the Russian and Turkish foreign ministers can lead to progress on the release of food stuck in Ukrainian ports due to the conflict. But before words we want to see the facts. we await concrete facts from Russia regarding the unblocking of the grain. This was said by the Foreign Minister, Luigi Di Maio, at the Farnesina, underlining that already in the past from Moscow "there have been other proclamations, including on the negotiation dialogue, which however did not go anywhere".
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Lavrov-Cavusoglu meeting underway in Ankara
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu received Russian counterpart Serghei Lavrov in Ankara. Anadolu does know. The creation of safe corridors for commercial ships to transport Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea is the central theme of the meeting of ministers in the Turkish capital. A joint press conference is scheduled at the end of the talks.
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Kiev: "Nobody will surrender to Severodonetsk"
"Nobody will surrender in Severodonetsk. The Russians want to capture the city by June 10. Fierce battles are taking place, our defenders are fighting for every inch of the city," said Lugansk regional military chief Sergiy Gaidai, quoted by the Guardian .
"The Russians do not control the Lysychansk-Bakhmut road, but they fire heavily. We do not use this road, it is too dangerous. The Russian troops are again planning to cross the Seversky Donets River to create a bridgehead for the offensive," he added. .
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Di Maio: "Italy participates in UN and EU efforts on wheat"
"Assisting Ukraine in exporting the millions of tons of grain and foodstuffs currently blocked in its silos is an emergency. Prime Minister Mario Draghi discussed this problem with President Putin and President Zelensky. Italy supports the citizens. efforts of the UN and the EU to address this problem and thanks the German G7 Presidency for its commitment. We will continue to actively contribute to all international efforts to find a solution ". This was said by Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio at the Mediterranean Ministerial Dialogue on the Food Crisis at the Farnesina.
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London: "Ukrainian defense holds in Severodonetsk"
Ukrainian defenses 'hold' in the eastern city of Severodonetsk, the nerve center of the conflict, despite Russian attacks in three directions. It is unlikely that either side captured significant territory on the last day: British Defense Ministry intelligence says in its update today.
(Unioneonline)