Live blog: Erdogan to discuss grain deal with Putin

Monday, July 17, 2023

1044 GMT - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin wants the continuation of a deal allowing the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea after Moscow said it will suspend its participation.

Speaking to reporters, Erdogan said he would discuss the deal, including the export of Russian fertilizer, with Putin when they meet in person during an expected meeting in August.

But he signalled that he may discuss it with the Russian president through a phone call without waiting for the August meeting.

Türkiye always attaches importance to the continuation of the Black Sea grain deal and has intensified diplomatic efforts, President Erdogan said.

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1515 GMT - Ukraine wants to continue implementing Black Sea grain deal

The Ukrainian president wants to continue the implementation of the Black Sea grain deal without Russia.

"After receiving Russia’s official signal, (on suspension of the grain deal) I instructed our Foreign Ministry to prepare our official signals to the UN and Türkiye so that I, the president of Ukraine, can receive a response on whether they are ready to continue our initiative," Zelenskyy told African journalists in an interview, his spokesman Serhii Nykyforov said on Facebook.

Nykyforov further said that “everything must be done” so that the grain corridor can be used.

“We are not afraid. We were approached by companies that own ships. They said that they are ready, if Ukraine lets (them) go, and Türkiye continues to let them go, then everyone is ready to continue supplying grain," he added.

1442 GMT - UN chief regrets Russia's decision to withdraw from grain deal

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres signalled that Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea grain deal means a related pact between the UN and Moscow to help facilitate Russia's grain and fertilizer exports was also terminated.

"Today's decision by the Russian Federation will strike a blow to people in need everywhere," Guterres told reporters.

1356 GMT - Russia's grain deal suspension will 'harm millions': White House

Russia's suspension of a pact allowing the Black Sea to export grain from Ukraine "will worsen food security and harm millions," the White House said.

"We urge the Government of Russia to immediately reverse its decision,” White House National Security Council spokesperson Adam Hodge said in a statement.

1331 GMT - EU condemns Russia's decision to suspend grain deal despite Türkiye's efforts

The European Union condemned Russia's decision to pull back from the Black Sea grain deal despite Türkiye's effort to mediate.

"I strongly condemn Russia’s cynical move to terminate the Black Sea Grain Initiative, despite UN & Türkiye’s efforts," EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a tweet.

"EU is working to ensure food security for the world’s vulnerable" she added.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he regretted Russia's decision.

"This is something very serious that will create a lot of trouble for many people around the world," he said at the doorstep of the EU-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Summit in Brussels.

"We, from our side, will do everything we can through our solidarity lanes, in order to make available the Ukrainian grain for the people who eat from it," Borrell added.

"And I have to blame Russia for this decision. Completely unjustified. Weaponizing the hunger of the people," the EU representative said.

1308 GMT - Azerbaijan to send Ukraine electrical equipment worth $7.6M

Azerbaijan said Monday it will send electrical equipment worth $7.6 million as humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

“In connection with the recent situation in Ukraine, the Azerbaijani state has sent humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people on multiple occasions,” according to a statement from Azerbaijan's presidential office.

The amount will be allocated from Azerbaijan's reserve funds.

1230 GMT - USAID chief to announce over $500 million in aid in visit to Ukraine

US aid chief Samantha Power is set to announce more than $500 million in humanitarian assistance for Ukraine during a visit to the war-torn country, where the United Nations says some 17 million people need help following Russia's attack.

US Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Power in Kiev will announce the assistance to respond to the needs of Ukrainians affected by Russia's offensive in Ukraine, according to an announcement shared in advance with Reuters.

1200 GMT - Teledyne to supply 1,000 more micro drones to Norway for use in Ukraine

Teledyne FLIR Defense will supply an additional 1,000 Black Hornet micro drones as well as spares to Ukraine as part of an order from Norway's Ministry of Defense, the company said.

The pocket-sized drones are suitable for operations in global positioning system-denied environments and are useful in transmitting live visible and thermal videos.

The company had last year struck a four-year deal with the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency to deliver these nano unmanned aerial vehicles for around $48 million.

Norway had donated nearly 300 Black Hornet systems to Ukraine forces in 2022 through the UK-led International Fund for Ukraine, the company said.

1148 GMT - Ukraine keeps up artillery strikes on Russia's front lines in Zaporizhzhia region

Ukraine keeps up artillery strikes on Russia's front lines, as the war that began in February 2022 continues unabated.

As the conflict between Russian and Ukrainian forces intensifies, Anadolu Agency captured footage of Ukrainian Armed Forces artillery firing at Russian military positions in the Zaporizhzhia region, one of the key hotspots since Kiev launched its counteroffensive early last month.

0856 GMT - Russia 'ceases' Black Sea grain export deal

The Kremlin has said that the Ukraine grain deal had "de facto ended" hours before it was due to expire and that Moscow would return to the landmark agreement if its conditions were met.

"The Black Sea agreements have de facto ended today," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

"The grain deal has ceased. As soon as the Russian part (of the agreements) are fulfilled, the Russian side will immediately return to the grain deal."

Separately Russia has officially notified Türkiye, Ukraine and the United Nations that it is against extending the Black Sea grain export deal, the RIA news agency reported, citing Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

0716 GMT - Russia says Ukraine behind bridge attack

Ukraine attacked the Crimean bridge overnight using unmanned drones on the water surface, Russia's Anti-Terrorist Committee has said, according to state media.

Russia's Investigative Committee said in a statement that Ukrainian "special services" were responsible for the attack and that it had opened a criminal investigation.

0712 GMT - Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has accused Ukraine of carrying out an attack on the bridge connecting Russia and Crimea, with the involvement of Britain and the United States.

Zakharova did not provide evidence to support the assertions.

"Today's attack on the Crimean bridge was carried out by the Kiev regime. This regime is terrorist and has all the hallmarks of an international organized crime group," she said.

"Decisions are made by Ukrainian officials and the military with the direct participation of American and British intelligence agencies and politicians. The US and Britain are in charge of a terrorist state structure."

0634 GMT - Ukraine: Troops retake nearly 18 sq km of territory in east, south

Ukrainian forces have retaken nearly 18 square km of territory in the east and the south in the past week in their counteroffensive against Russian forces, Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister Ganna Malyar said.

The advances brought the total territory recaptured so far during the counteroffensive to more than 210 sq km, she said in updates on the Telegram messaging app.

Maliar said troops had retaken 7 sq km in the past week in the direction of Bakhmut in the east, a small city captured by Russian forces in May after the bloodiest combat of the war. That brought the total recaptured in the area to 31 sq km.

In the south, where Ukrainian forces are trying to advance towards the cities of Berdyansk and Melitopol, they had recaptured nearly 11 sq km in the past week, bringing the total territory recaptured there to nearly 180 sq km.

0543 GMT - Railway traffic via Crimea bridge resumes

Movement of railway transport between Crimea and Russia resumed after an emergency incident on the Crimea Bridge, TASS news agency reported.

A train has left the Crimean city of Kerch and is en route to Moscow via the bridge, the agency said.

0446 GMT - Deaths, traffic halted after Crimean bridge emergency

Traffic on the key bridge connecting Crimea to Russia’s mainland has been halted amid reports of explosions.

The health ministry in Russia's Krasnodar region, which lies at the eastern end of the bridge, said two people were killed in an unspecified accident on the bridge and their daughter was injured.

News reports said local residents heard explosions before dawn, but there was no confirmation.

The governor of Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, announced the closure but did not specify the reason.

The extent of the damage was not immediately clear, but Governor Sergei Aksyonov said he expected rail traffic on the bridge to resume within several hours.

The 19-kilometre bridge that was opened in 2018 is the mainland connection between Russia and the Crimean peninsula.

The bridge that spans the Kerch Strait was damaged in October by a truck bomb and required months of repairs before resuming full service.

0143 GMT — EU hosts Latin America despite rifts over Ukraine The European Union hosts Latin American and Caribbean leaders at a summit, hoping to revive strained ties despite divisions over trade and Russia's military offensive against Ukraine.

And as many EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) leaders set off for Brussels, diplomats were struggling to agree on the wording of the final communique - with Europe pushing for a strong stance against Moscow.

The 33 nations of Latin America and the Caribbean have no agreed position on the Ukraine war, however, and some would like to protect ties with Russia or seek a compromise peace deal.

For our live updates from Saturday (July 16), click here.