The Russian InvasionThe Grain Agreement

Romanian grain worker. Archive image. Vadim Ghirda / AP  

 

The Russian InvasionThe Grain Agreement  

Ukraine's neighbors demand that the import ban be extended 

 

Ukraine's neighboring countries are calling on the EU to extend the import ban on Ukrainian grain, which expires in September, several media outlets write. According to the Financial Times, the countries are concerned that Russia's blockade of Black Sea freighters will put further pressure on their domestic markets.  

 

To protect their own farmers, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania introduced the import ban last spring, something the EU agreed to in June. Now the countries are demanding that the EU extend it at least for the rest of the year.  

 

Poland threatens to take its own measures. 

 

- Either the European Commission agrees to develop joint regulations to extend this ban, or we do it ourselves, says Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki according to the FT.  

 

 

The terminal that holds grain for export from Ukraine. Kostiantyn Liberov / AP  

 

The Russian InvasionThe Grain Agreement  

Russia: Warns ships against docking in Ukraine  

 

Russia warns ships to dock at any of Ukraine's ports along the Black Sea, writes Reuters. Any attempt to defy their advice will be interpreted as an attempt to bring military weapons into the country, the Russian Defense Ministry said via Telegram.  

 

The move comes just days after Russia refused to renew a grain deal that expired on Monday and which, since the start of the war, has allowed cargo ships to transport wheat from Ukraine to countries in dire need of the grain. 

 

Ukraine has announced its intention to ignore Russia's warning and continue to accept cargo ships for the delivery of grain. Russia, for its part, has responded by declaring both the south-east and north-west Black Sea as "unsafe for navigation". The country further states that it will see all countries whose ships move in the area as parties to the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.  

 

According to Reuters, Russian authorities have not specified the consequences of violating their warning The grain agreement supplies several countries with wheat. 

 

David Goldman/AP  

Large quantities of grain have been destroyed in night attack 

 

Last night, Russia directed new military attacks against Ukraine, not least against ports in the southern parts of the country around Odesa, writes the Reuters news agency.  

 

Close to 63 robots and drones were fired at the sea belt, of which 37 were shot down. Twelve civilians were injured, including a nine-year-old boy.  

 

At least 60,000 tons of grain were destroyed in the attacks, which Ukraine said again specifically targeted areas used for grain trade. 

 

The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, believes that the purpose of the attacks is to prevent Ukraine from selling grain.  

 

- Russian terrorists deliberately targeted grain export infrastructure, says Zelensky on Telegram.