UK warns of Russia laying ‘sea mines’ to deter Black Sea cargo ships

Russia may use sea mines against civilian shipping in the Black Sea, including by laying them on the approach to Ukrainian ports, the United Kingdom has said citing intelligence sources.

The warning comes as Ukraine’s navy said that 12 cargo vessels were ready to enter a fledgling Black Sea shipping corridor on their way to Ukrainian ports, a significant increase in maritime traffic to Ukraine in defiance of a de facto Russian blockade of the country’s sea ports.

What is the Ukraine grain deal?

Ships carrying grain are again sailing from Ukraine's Black Sea ports, despite Russia pulling out of a deal which allowed them to pass safely through the sea.

They have been following a new route, around the western coast. 

What was the grain deal?

Ukraine is one of world's biggest suppliers of crops such as sunflower oil, barley, maize and wheat.

‘Incomprehensible’: How the EU lost control in Ukraine grain fight

BRUSSELS — It's one thing to be dealt a weak hand. It's another to play it badly.

But that's exactly what the European Commission has done in the crisis caused by a glut of Ukrainian grain that has put Kyiv at odds with its European allies and, in particular, left Brussels at the mercy of Polish electoral politics.

The EU's eastern capitals had warned that they would impose their own import bans if EU-wide restrictions expired, as planned, on September 15. Nevertheless, the Commission let them lapse. Ukraine gave notice that it would sue at the World Trade Organization if that happened, and has duly done so.

Poland’s PM tells Ukraine’s Zelenskyy to ‘never insult’ Polish people again

Poland’s prime minister has told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to never “insult” Poles again, returning to harsh rhetoric towards Kyiv after the Polish president had sought to defuse a simmering dispute between the two countries over the issue of Ukrainian grain imports.

Zelenskyy angered his neighbours in Warsaw – a key military ally against Russia – when he told the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week that Kyiv was working to preserve land routes for its grain exports amid a Russian blockade of the Black Sea, but that “political theatre” around grain imports was helping Moscow’s cause.

Poland will no longer send weapons to Ukraine, says PM, as grain dispute escalates

Poland, one of Ukraine’s staunchest allies, has announced an end to its arms transfers to the country, a day after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Warsaw of playing into Russia’s hands by banning Ukrainian grain imports.

Poland is one of Kyiv’s main weapons suppliers and has been one of the loudest cheerleaders for the Ukrainian cause since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, but relations have soured over recent days amid the growing row over grain.

First grain ships arrive in Ukraine using new route

Two cargo ships have arrived at a Ukrainian port after travelling through the Black Sea using a new route, Ukrainian port authorities said.

They reached Chornomorsk on Saturday, and were due to load 20,000 tonnes of wheat bound for world markets.

Officials said it was the first time civilian ships had reached a Ukrainian port since the collapse of a deal with Russia ensuring the safety of vessels.

No sign of Black Sea grain breakthrough after Erdoğan-Putin talks

The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has concluded face-to-face talks with Vladimir Putin by claiming a deal to export Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea could be revived.

But there was no evidence of a breakthrough as the Russian leader again accused the west of reneging on promises.

Putin claimed there had been no crisis in global grain markets since Moscow pulled out of the deal two months ago over what it said was the west’s failure to keep its side of the bargain covering Russian food and fertiliser exports. He said prices were falling and there was no evidence of food shortages.

Ukraine threatens legal action against EU if grain curbs drag on

Ukraine is threatening to take Brussels and EU member countries to the World Trade Organization if they fail to lift restrictions on its agricultural exports to the bloc this month.

The country's grain exports — its main trade commodity — are currently banned from the markets of Poland, Hungary and three other EU countries under a deal struck with the European Commission earlier this year to protect farmers from an influx of cheaper produce from their war-torn neighbor.

Moscow attacks Ukraine port day before Russia-Turkey talks on grain deal

Moscow launched a barrage of drone attacks early Sunday at a port in Ukraine's Odesa region used by Kyiv to export grain, a day ahead of talks between Russia and Turkey where reviving a U.N.-backed grain deal will be high on the agenda.

Kyiv's air defenses shot down 22 out of the 25 Iranian-made drones destined for the Danube River port infrastructure, Ukraine's air force said on Telegram on Sunday. At least two people were reported injured.

What’s at stake in the upcoming Erdogan-Putin meeting?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to meet Vladimir Putin on Monday, hoping to persuade the Russian leader to rejoin the Black Sea grain deal that Moscow broke off from in July.

The meeting, to take place in Sochi on Russia’s southern coast, comes after weeks of speculation about when and where the two leaders might meet. Erdogan previously said Putin would travel to Turkey in August.

First cargo ship leaves Ukraine port since end of grain deal despite Russian threats

A civilian cargo vessel has left Ukraine’s southern port of Odesa, Kyiv has said, despite warnings from Russia that its navy could target ships using the Black Sea export hubs.

The announcement raises the spectre of a standoff with Russian warships, after Moscow pulled out of a key deal last month brokered by the UN and Turkey, which guaranteed safe passage for grain shipments from three Ukrainian ports.

Prairie grain backlog follows democracy backlog

Believe it or not, there is a relationship between the backlog in prairie grain and the "Fair Elections Act." Here's how.

As prairie farmers wait anxiously for the backlog in grain transportation to be resolved and for prices that at least cover cost of production, Minister Ritz and friends continue to meet with devotion in the sanctuary of "free-dumb." Farmers on the prairies can no longer afford these bizarre ideas from Ritz and Co.