Recent events related to the war in Ukraine:
___
MOSCOW – Supplying international markets with Ukrainian grain will be part of talks between the President of Russia Vladimir Putin and the President of the African Union, his Senegalese counterpart Macky Sall, the Kremlin says.
Ukraine is one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil. Kyiv and its western allies have accused Moscow of jeopardizing global food supplies by naval blockading Ukrainian ports. Russia has denied this accusation, claiming that Ukraine must remove underwater mines to allow safe navigation.
Putin plans to give Sall a “detailed explanation” of Russia’s perspective on the situation and “again explain what is happening there, who mined the ports, what is needed for grain flow to resume,” he said in the Kremlin Speaker Dmitry Peskov.
Between 2018 and 2020, African nations imported 44% of their wheat from Russia and Ukraine, according to the United Nations. According to the African Development Bank, the price of wheat has risen by 45% due to war-related distribution problems.
___
ANKARA, Turkey – A Ukrainian ambassador claims grain stolen from his country has been sold to several countries, including Turkey.
Vasyl Bodnar, Ukraine’s ambassador to Turkey, told reporters in Ankara on Friday that his embassy was preparing to launch criminal cases against individuals, companies and vessels involved in trafficking in stolen goods.
Turkish authorities and the international police agency Interpol are working together, Bodnar said.
“Anyone involved in the sale of stolen goods will be found and brought to justice,” the ambassador added.
Bodnar warned that companies doing business with Russia cannot participate in future projects to rebuild Ukraine.
Turkey, which has close ties with Kyiv and Moscow, has criticized the Kremlin for invading Ukraine but has refused to join sanctions against Russia.
___
BRUSSELS – The European Union officially approves a Russian oil embargo and other sanctions on its major banks and media over the war in Ukraine.
Brussels said Russian crude will be phased out in the next six months, while the deadline for other refined products is eight months.
In addition, he pointed out that “a temporary exception is foreseen” for countries without access to the sea – such as Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia – which “suffer from a particular dependence on Russian supplies and have no viable alternatives”.
Bulgaria and Croatia are also getting “temporary exemptions” for certain types of crude oil. Community leaders say the measure means around 90% of Russian oil exports to Europe will be suspended by the end of the year. The EU buys about 25% of its oil in Moscow.
On the other hand, the largest Russian bank Sberbank, as well as Moscow Credit Bank, Agricultural Bank of Russia and Bank for Development and Reconstruction of Belarus cannot use the SWIFT system for international bank transfers.
The media outlets Rossiya RTR/RTR Planeta, Rossiya 24/Rusia 24 and TV Center International have been sanctioned over allegations that they are being used by Moscow “to manipulate information and promote disinformation about the invasion of Ukraine”.