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UN, Ukraine and Turkey want to continue grain exports

Grain exports from Ukraine via the Black Sea are said to continue, although Russia has canceled safe passage for the cargo ships. The delegations of the United Nations, Turkey and Ukraine have agreed on this, the coordination center in Istanbul announced on Monday evening. The Russian delegation in the center was informed of the result.

On Monday, twelve ships will sail through the demarcated sea corridor from Ukraine towards Istanbul, four ships will sail in the opposite direction. It is unclear how Russia will respond to this ongoing shipping traffic.

The checks on the cargo ships previously carried out jointly by all four parties in Istanbul are also continuing. For Monday, the UN and Turkey will provide ten teams to handle 40 waiting ships. The Ukrainians have agreed, the Russians have been informed, according to the United Nations.

“Ukraine will do everything it can to ensure that the grain export initiative continues to work,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his video address on Sunday.

All current developments about the war in Ukraine in the live ticker:

Russia refuses to return to the agreement – and speaks of evidence

Russia spoke on Sunday about alleged evidence that Ukraine misused the maritime humanitarian corridor for the drone strike on the Black Sea fleet in Sevastopol the day before. Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said there was no talk of returning to the grain deal until it was fully clarified. Moscow also wants to present this attack to the UN Security Council in New York on Monday, the 250th day of the war.

Russia’s cooperation in the control center has been suspended – but not completely

At the meeting of the four delegations at the coordination center, the Russian side announced that it would suspend cooperation indefinitely, the UN statement said. However, she wanted to continue dialogue with the UN and Turkey on “urgent issues”. The Russian representatives also wanted to be involved on the sidelines if the grain initiative generally had to make quick decisions.

The initiative, brokered by Turkey and the UN, was approved in July and ended the months-long blockade of Ukrainian grain exports as a result of the Russian war of aggression. According to Turkish information, 9.3 million tons of grain have been shipped since then. It has been agreed that the ships and their cargo will be inspected every time they pass through the Turkish Bosphorus.

The agreement was originally valid until November 19. However, if neither side had objected, it would have been automatically extended. Moscow has recently repeatedly criticized the agreement for seeing its own grain and fertilizer exports slowed as a result of sanctions imposed by the West.

Attack on Sevastopol hits Russia

The home port of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol on the annexed Crimean peninsula was attacked on Saturday by flying and floating drones. Moscow speaks of an act of terrorism and claims that the remote-controlled combat boats moved under the protection of the naval corridor for grain exports. At least one drone was launched at sea from a grain ship. No evidence was given on Sunday in a statement from the Russian defense ministry.

Only sick people could say such a thing, Ukrainian head of state Zelenskyj said in his video speech. “But these sick people are once again bringing the world to the brink of a serious food crisis.” For Russia’s warfare against Ukraine, the attack means that the Black Sea Fleet, the heart of Crimea’s military might, is not safe.

Selenskyj consults with his army – about a possible counter-offensive?

On Sunday, Zelenskyy again discussed the progress of the defense against Russia with the heads of the armed forces and other security agencies. It also discussed possible enemy plans for the coming period, he said, without giving details. However, such meetings of the high command were often followed by offensives by the Ukrainian armed forces. “We work daily to accelerate the restoration of the territorial integrity of our state,” he said.

Monday will be important

The Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, which has been going on for more than eight months, also features the visit of Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to the Central Asian states of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The Green politician will initially hold talks in the Kazakh capital Astana on Monday. Kazakhstan is a major supplier of energy and raw materials.

Baerbock said the war in Russia raises the question of all successor states of the Soviet Union whether their state can also be questioned. To seize the opportunities for cooperation, “we must finally make progress in better networking Central Asia with Europe”. (sda/dpa)