Ukraine Grain Deal

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.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that Ukraine's proposed peace plan as well as the latest UN proposals to revive the Black Sea grain initiative were both "not realistic."

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.

Bulgaria decided on Thursday not to extend a ban on Ukrainian grain imports in five eastern EU nations that is set to expire this week.

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.

Turkey has been trying to revive a UN-backed agreement that allowed for the safe passage of grain from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron spoke Sunday, discussing the "functioning" of a sea corridor set up by Kyiv for safe navigation of ships after Moscow exited a landmark grain deal.

A Russian drone attack hit grain infrastructure in Ukraine's southern Odesa region on Wednesday, the local governor said, the latest strike since the collapse of a deal allowing safe shipments from 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.

Kyiv announced Wednesday a cargo vessel had exited its southern port of Odesa along a new maritime corridor, despite an earlier warning from Russia it could target vessels using Ukrainian ports.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that Russia's attacks on port infrastructure showed Moscow was intent on creating a "global catastrophe," with a crisis in food markets, prices and supplies.

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.

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.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that Ukraine's proposed peace plan as well as the latest UN proposals to revive the Black Sea grain initiative were both "not realistic."

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.

Bulgaria decided on Thursday not to extend a ban on Ukrainian grain imports in five eastern EU nations that is set to expire this week.

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.

Turkey has been trying to revive a UN-backed agreement that allowed for the safe passage of grain from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron spoke Sunday, discussing the "functioning" of a sea corridor set up by Kyiv for safe navigation of ships after Moscow exited a landmark grain deal.

A Russian drone attack hit grain infrastructure in Ukraine's southern Odesa region on Wednesday, the local governor said, the latest strike since the collapse of a deal allowing safe shipments from 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.

Kyiv announced Wednesday a cargo vessel had exited its southern port of Odesa along a new maritime corridor, despite an earlier warning from Russia it could target vessels using Ukrainian ports.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that Russia's attacks on port infrastructure showed Moscow was intent on creating a "global catastrophe," with a crisis in food markets, prices and supplies.

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.