Russia’s foreign minister hinted that Moscow won’t back another extension of the Black Sea safe-transit deal that’s allowed Ukraine to export millions of tons of grain since last summer. Sergei Lavrov said the agreement has become “commercial,” repeating a talking point used regularly by him and President Vladimir Putin – that not enough of the grain has been shipped to poor countries. Ukraine said it wants an answer next week from the UN and Turkey about extending the pact, which is up for rene
(Bloomberg) — Russia’s foreign minister hinted that Moscow won’t back another extension of the Black Sea safe-transit deal that’s allowed Ukraine to export millions of tons of grain since last summer. Sergei Lavrov said the agreement has become “commercial,” repeating a talking point used regularly by him and President Vladimir Putin – that not enough of the grain has been shipped to poor countries. Ukraine said it wants an answer next week from the UN and Turkey about extending the pact, which is up for renewal July 17.
European Union leaders are backing plans that would impose a windfall tax on profits generated by more than €200 billion ($217 billion) of Russian central bank assets to aid Ukraine’s reconstruction, and will seek the political support of key Group of Seven countries, according to people familiar with the talks.
Ukraine said it struck Russian-occupied Berdyansk in the Zaporizhzhia region, hitting a fuel depot and a military installation. Explosions were reported on social media; Russia hasn’t commented. Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine’s top military commander, told the Washington Post that the exit of Wagner forces from the front lines in Ukraine’s east hasn’t made Russia’s defense weaker. Additional Russian anti-aircraft systems have been moved to Belarus for “combat duty,” the Russian ally’s defense ministry said.
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- EU Aims to Tax Frozen Russian Central Bank Assets
- Lavrov Says He Sees No Arguments to Extend Black Sea Grain Deal
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- Ukraine Economy to Expand 1.9% in 2023; Prior Estimate +2%
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Coming Up
- EU leaders continue meeting in Brussels
- Deadline for Wagner fighters to sign contracts with Russian defense ministry is Saturday
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