Russian president Vladimir Putin has assured “unhindered export of grains from Ukraine port” as the president of the war-torn nation, Volodymyr Zelensky, accused the invader – Moscow- of intentionally wanting to create “famine in Europe.”
The Western leaders have chided Russia for blockading the Ukrainian ports, sending prices of grain and other commodities soaring. The United Nations has said a global food crisis is deepening and has been trying to broker a deal to unblock Ukraine’s grain exports.
Meanwhile, in its toughest sanction on Moscow in three months of war, the European Union leaders agreed on Monday to ban most Russian oil imports. Besides the death and devastation sown by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the war and the West’s attempt to isolate Russia as punishment have sent the price of grain, cooking oil, fertiliser and energy soaring, hurting global growth.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday slammed the Russian blockade of Ukrainian sea ports and accused Moscow of preventing Kyiv from exporting 22 million tons of grain – a result of which will be famine, news agency AP reported. In his nightly address, Zelensky accused Moscow of “deliberately creating this problem so that the whole of Europe struggles and so that Ukraine doesn’t earn billions of dollars from its exports.”
Ukraine has also accused Russia of looting grain and farm equipment from territories held by its forces, news agency Reuters reported. The lawmakers of NATO countries also called for a solution to transport grain and other products from the war-torn nation.
Russian president Vladimir Putin said on Monday that he was ready to facilitate unhindered export of grain from Ukrainian ports in coordination with Turkey. “During the discussion (between Putin and Edrogan) of the situation in Ukraine, emphasis was placed on ensuring safe navigation in the Black and Azov seas and eliminating the mine threat in their waters,” the Kremlin said of Putin’s call with Erdogan, reported Reuters.
“Vladimir Putin noted the readiness of the Russian side to facilitate the unhindered sea transit of goods in coordination with Turkish partners. This also applies to the export of grain from Ukrainian ports.” the Kremlin said, adding that if sanctions were lifted, then Russia could “export significant volumes of fertilizers and agricultural products.”
Russian state gas giant Gazprom confirmed Monday it will halt gas supplies to a Dutch gas trader starting Tuesday due to its refusal to pay for deliveries in rubles – Russian currency. Dutch Climate and Energy Minister Rob Jetten was quoted as saying by news agency AP that the government understands the cutoff will “have no effect on the physical delivery of gas to Dutch households.”
The European Union leaders agreed on Monday to ban most imports of Russian oil to the 27-nation bloc. In the bloc’s toughest sanction on Moscow since the invasion of Ukraine three months ago, European Council chief Charles Michel said the ban agreed at an EU summit in Brussels would immediately cover more than two-thirds of oil imports from Russia and cut a “huge source of financing for its war machine.”
On the war front, Russia pressed its attacks in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region on Monday, where Kyiv said the situation remained “extremely difficult”. Russia has been seeking to seize the entire Donbas, consisting of Luhansk and Donetsk which Moscow claims on behalf of separatist proxies. Governors of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions — which make up the Donbas — said six civilians, including the journalist, were killed in shelling. Authorities in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, also reported one death in shelling.
In southern Ukraine, Kyiv said its forces had pushed back Russian troops to defensive positions in Andriyivka, Lozove and Bilohorka, villages on the south bank of the Inhulets River that forms the border of Kherson province, where Moscow is trying to consolidate control.
A French news broadcaster says a 32-year-old French journalist has been killed in Ukraine while “covering a humanitarian operation.” The Ukrainian president says a total of 32 media workers have been killed in Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion.
Ukraine has called for the West to send more long-range weapons but the US President Joe Biden said yesterday that Washington would not send Ukraine rocket systems that can reach into Russia, a decision Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev called “rational.”