It is a vital trade-off for the global food supply. Senior Russian and United Nations officials are meeting Monday (March 13) in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss the renewal of the agreement on Ukrainian grain exports, which is due to expire on March 18. The talks are taking place at the United Nations headquarters. The Russian delegation is led by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Verchinin. Follow the situation in our live.
The grain agreement on the menu of negotiations. Last week, the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergey Lavrov, called “complicated” negotiations aimed at extending this agreement, which had allowed the resumption of Ukrainian grain exports, despite the invasion of the country. Ukraine has called for international efforts to keep open the Black Sea shipping lanes used to transport its grain, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called at the G20 in early March for Russia to renew the OK.
“Violent fighting” for the center of Bakhmout. Of “fierce fighting” with Russian forces are underway for central Bakhmout in eastern Ukraine, says Ukrainian ground troop commander Oleksandr Syrsky. Russians “attack from several directions” For “move towards the central districts”. “The closer we are to the city center, the harder the fighting”launched for his part Evgueni Prigojine, boss of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner.
The Ukrainian army promises a counter-offensive. “You have to save time” continuing to defend Bakhmout “to accumulate reserves and launch a counter-offensive, which is not far off”the commander of the Ukrainian ground forces, Oleksandr Syrsky, said on Sunday.