United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres assured this Wednesday in Kiev that he “will continue to look for solutions and a just peace for the people of Ukraine and the world”. Exports of Ukrainian grain and Russian food and fertilizer are of “critical importance”. Ukrainian President Zelensky defended that this deal is “extremely necessary” for global food security, but Moscow has demands for renewal and these have yet to be met.
Under the deal, which could expire as early as March 18, Kiev can export stored grain and Moscow can also export fertilizer and food. But Russians complain that international sanctions create obstacles. Although European and US sanctions have no impact on the food sector, Russia argues that restrictions in the banking and insurance sectors are an obstacle to exports.
“Turkey is working hard to extend the grain deal,” a source told Al Jazeera, indicating that negotiations are continuing. “Russia’s concerns, or rather the difficulties it faces, have not yet been overcome. But Turkey is doing its bit for an agreement between all parties,” he added. The chief negotiator in the UN trade area, Rebeca Grynspan, traveled to Kyiv with Guterres and will meet senior Russian officials in Geneva next week to discuss the issue.
Since signing in July 2022 (it was extended in November), the agreement has enabled the export of 23 million tons of grain blocked in Ukrainian ports. Over the past month, however, exports have declined, with inspections of ships – one of the requirements for ensuring no guns come in and out – cut in half from the number a few months ago, once again creating rows of ships to leave the Black Sea and cross the Bosphorus. Kiev blamed Moscow for the delays.
In the Ukrainian capital for the third time since the invasion, Guterres reiterated that “the position of the United Nations is very clear: the Russian invasion of Ukraine is a violation of the UN Charter and international law. The sovereignty, independence, unity and Ukraine’s territorial integrity must be kept within its internationally recognized borders”.
Bakhmut
At the front, attention remains focused on Bakhmut in the Donetsk region. The Wagner Group claimed to have taken the eastern part of the city on Wednesday, with the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, warned that the city could fall “in the coming days”. But, he added, “it doesn’t necessarily reflect a turning point in the war.”
Zelensky claimed in an interview with CNN that Russia will have “the open road” to eastern Ukraine if it captures Bakhmut. “We know that after Bakhmut they can go further. They can go to Kramatorsk, they can go to Sloviansk, the Russians would have an open path to other cities towards Donetsk after Bakhmut,” he said in the interview that aired on Wednesday. . This was made clear on Tuesday by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. “The capture of Bakhmut will enable further offensive operations on the defensive lines of the armed forces of Ukraine,” he said.
Sanctions on the Wagner Group
The leader of the Wagner Group mercenaries, Yevgeny Prigozhin, revealed on social media that his men had captured the entire region east of the Bakhmuta River. His mother, however Violetta Prigozhina, won a victory in the European courts, which ordered the lifting of sanctions imposed by the European Union. The argument is that even if Prigozhin is responsible for illegal acts in Ukraine, the evidence brought against his 83-year-old mother last year when the sanctions were applied was insufficient.
This decision could open the door for others in the same direction, as other Russians targeted by the asset freeze and travel ban for allegedly supporting the war in Ukraine have already appealed. In total, European sanctions affect almost 1700 people or entities. As for Prigozhin himself, he claims he has no reason to challenge the sanctions in court as “they are imposed quite reasonably at the moment”.
Source: DN
