Black Sea Grain Exports

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov denied on Thursday reports by Ukrainian and British firms that the new Black Sea export corridor had been suspended.

Ukraine urged the European Union on Monday to back its initiative for regular exports through a new maritime corridor in the Black Sea, amid a rift between Kyiv and several neighbours over grain deliveries.

Two cargo vessels were bound for Ukrainian ports on Saturday, becoming the first ships to use a temporary corridor to sail into Black Sea ports and load grain for African and Asian markets, Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said.

President Vladimir Putin said Monday that Russia was ready to revive the Black Sea grain export deal "as soon" as restrictions on its own exports were lifted.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan met Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi on Monday, aiming to persuade him to return to a Ukraine grain export deal that helped ease a global food crisis.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday that he had sent Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov "a set of concrete proposals" aimed at reviving a deal that allowed the safe export of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea.

Moscow said Tuesday it had destroyed a Ukrainian military "reconnaissance boat" near Russian gas infrastructure in the Black Sea, in the latest clash in the waterway since Moscow's withdrawal from a major grain export deal.

Russia's grain and fertiliser exports are not subject to Western sanctions but Moscow has said restrictions on payments, logistics and insurance have been a barrier to shipments. The deal in question aimed to alleviate a global food crisis.

Russia has been pounding Odesa, a centuries-old city on the shores of the Black Sea and one of Ukraine's main ports, since Moscow withdrew from a grain deal last month that allowed Kyiv's exports despite the war.

The United States has been told that Russia is prepared to return to talks on a deal that had allowed the safe Black Sea export of Ukraine grain, but "we haven't seen any evidence of that yet," the U.S. envoy to the United Nations said on Tuesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday offered free grain to six poor African countries as he launched a summit with leaders from the continent days after withdrawing from the Ukraine grain export deal.

Russia withdrew from the Black Sea grain deal that ensured the safe export of Ukrainian grains because the agreement lost its meaning, President Vladimir Putin wrote.

The spike in grain prices in the days since Russia quit a deal allowing the safe Black Sea export of Ukraine grain "potentially threatens hunger and worse for millions of people," the United Nations' aid chief told the Security Council on Friday.

The International Monetary Fund on Wednesday said Russia's exit from a deal allowing Ukrainian exports via the Black Sea threatens to increase global food insecurity and could drive food prices higher, especially in low-income countries.

A deal allowing the safe export of grain from Ukraine's Black Sea ports will be extended automatically after it expires on March 18 if there are no objections from the involved parties,

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov denied on Thursday reports by Ukrainian and British firms that the new Black Sea export corridor had been suspended.

Ukraine urged the European Union on Monday to back its initiative for regular exports through a new maritime corridor in the Black Sea, amid a rift between Kyiv and several neighbours over grain deliveries.

Two cargo vessels were bound for Ukrainian ports on Saturday, becoming the first ships to use a temporary corridor to sail into Black Sea ports and load grain for African and Asian markets, Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said.

President Vladimir Putin said Monday that Russia was ready to revive the Black Sea grain export deal "as soon" as restrictions on its own exports were lifted.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan met Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi on Monday, aiming to persuade him to return to a Ukraine grain export deal that helped ease a global food crisis.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday that he had sent Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov "a set of concrete proposals" aimed at reviving a deal that allowed the safe export of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea.

Moscow said Tuesday it had destroyed a Ukrainian military "reconnaissance boat" near Russian gas infrastructure in the Black Sea, in the latest clash in the waterway since Moscow's withdrawal from a major grain export deal.

Russia's grain and fertiliser exports are not subject to Western sanctions but Moscow has said restrictions on payments, logistics and insurance have been a barrier to shipments. The deal in question aimed to alleviate a global food crisis.

Russia has been pounding Odesa, a centuries-old city on the shores of the Black Sea and one of Ukraine's main ports, since Moscow withdrew from a grain deal last month that allowed Kyiv's exports despite the war.

The United States has been told that Russia is prepared to return to talks on a deal that had allowed the safe Black Sea export of Ukraine grain, but "we haven't seen any evidence of that yet," the U.S. envoy to the United Nations said on Tuesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday offered free grain to six poor African countries as he launched a summit with leaders from the continent days after withdrawing from the Ukraine grain export deal.

Russia withdrew from the Black Sea grain deal that ensured the safe export of Ukrainian grains because the agreement lost its meaning, President Vladimir Putin wrote.

The spike in grain prices in the days since Russia quit a deal allowing the safe Black Sea export of Ukraine grain "potentially threatens hunger and worse for millions of people," the United Nations' aid chief told the Security Council on Friday.

The International Monetary Fund on Wednesday said Russia's exit from a deal allowing Ukrainian exports via the Black Sea threatens to increase global food insecurity and could drive food prices higher, especially in low-income countries.

A deal allowing the safe export of grain from Ukraine's Black Sea ports will be extended automatically after it expires on March 18 if there are no objections from the involved parties,