Ukraine

Latest in Ukraine: EU Rejects Bans on Ukraine Grain

FILE - Grain is loaded on a bulk carrier in the Black Sea port of Chornomorsk, Odesa region, within the program "Grain From Ukraine," March 24, 2023.

New developments:

  • U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland meets with the Ukrainian prosecutor general as they discuss efforts to punish those responsible for committing war crimes during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
  • Iraq offers to mediate between Ukraine and Russia to try and find an end to the war, but Ukraine's top diplomat rejects the offer.
  • An outspoken Kremlin critic is sentenced to 25 years in prison for denouncing Russia's war on Ukraine. Vladimir Kara-Murza regards the harsh sentence as recognition of his work.

European Union ambassadors in Brussels discussed on Monday a decision by some member states to temporarily ban imports of grain and other items from Ukraine.

Slovakia on Monday joined Poland and Hungary in announcing a ban on some food imports from Ukraine, with other central and eastern European countries saying they may follow suit.

The three countries argue a glut of low-priced agricultural imports is hurting their local farmers. Poland and Hungary on Saturday said their bans will remain in effect through June 30.

Spokespersons for the EU's executive arm said Monday a solution must be found that respects the EU legal framework, The Associated Press reported.

SEE ALSO: EU Investigates After 3 Countries Ban Ukraine Grain Imports

Chief EU commission spokesperson Eric Mamer was cited as saying Poland and other countries "have been doing their utmost" to help Ukraine. He added, "so this is not about sanctioning. This is about finding solutions based on EU law in the interests at the same time of the Ukrainians and of the EU."

Ukraine and Poland began talks Monday in Warsaw aimed at reaching an agreement on the grain issue.

"Ukraine needs help, but the costs of this help should be spread over all European countries, not just the frontline countries, especially Poland," Polish agriculture minister Robert Telus said after the talks began.

The issue of the imported food has created problems for Poland's ruling nationalist Law and Justice party. Poland holds elections later this year and counts on rural areas for a large amount of support.

The discussions among EU officials will continue Tuesday as Kyiv tries to renegotiate food and grain transit via Poland.

The bans also come as Russia warns it may not extend a Black Sea grain deal set to expire May 18, stranding millions of tons of grain inside Ukraine. Ukraine is a major agricultural producer that relies on food sales for much of its gross domestic product.

SEE ALSO: Russia Says Black Sea Grain Deal May Be Nearly Over

Lavrov in Brazil

Separately, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Monday that Moscow wants a quick end to the conflict in Ukraine.

At a news conference with Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira in Brasilia, Lavrov thanked his counterpart for "understanding of the genesis of the situation in Ukraine." He added that Russia had "an interest" in the conflict ending as soon as possible.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov leaves after a meeting with Brazil's Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira in Brasilia, Brazil, April 17, 2023.

Russia has reiterated that any peace negotiation in Ukraine must acknowledge the "realities" of Russia's unilateral annexation of four Ukrainian provinces.

Russia says it was forced to intervene in Ukraine to defend Russian speakers from persecution and prevent the West from using Ukraine as a springboard to threaten Russia's security.

Kyiv and the West say these are baseless pretexts for a war of conquest where war crimes have been committed.

The White House sharply criticized Brazil for meeting with Lavrov in person, while only speaking to Ukrainian officials by phone.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said, "Brazil is parroting Russian and Chinese propaganda" on Ukraine without looking at the facts.

Brazil’s foreign minister, Mauro Vieira, pushed back on the criticism, saying of Kirby, "I don't know how or why he reached that conclusion but I do not agree at all."

Separately, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland met with Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin at the Department of Justice in Washington to discuss joint efforts to punish war criminals in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

G-7 Russian sanctions

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations Monday reinforced their commitment to strongly supporting Ukraine, while also "intensifying, fully coordinating and enforcing sanctions against Russia."

Clockwise from top, Yoshimasa Hayashi, Melanie Joly, Catherine Colonna, Antonio Tajani, Enrique Mora, James Cleverly, Annalena Baerbock and Antony Blinken pose for a photo at the G-7 Foreign ministers' meeting in Karuizawa, Japan, April 17, 2023.

At a meeting in Japan, the G-7 ministers "underscored that Russia must withdraw all forces and equipment from Ukraine immediately and unconditionally," according to a statement issued by Japan's foreign ministry.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a meeting focused on Russia's war in Ukraine that it is important to maintain unity in enforcing sanctions against Russia.

SEE ALSO: G7 Ministers Set Big New Targets for Solar, Wind Capacity 

Following Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement last month that Moscow would deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, the G-7 ministers condemned the move Monday, reaffirming that "Russia's irresponsible nuclear rhetoric is unacceptable," the statement said.

Russia was once part of what was then the G-8 but was expelled after it annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

Land mine threats

Britain's Defense Ministry on Monday highlighted the mounting number of civilian land mine-related deaths in Ukraine.

The British ministry said the problem is worst in areas that Russian troops previously occupied, including Kherson and Kharkiv, and that the risk increases with the arrival of springtime agricultural work.

"Over 750 mine-related casualties among civilians have been reported since the start of the invasion — one in eight has involved a child. It will likely take at least a decade to clear Ukraine of mines," the ministry said in its latest daily assessment.

Meanwhile, Russia sentenced a prominent opposition activist to 25 years in prison Monday on charges that included treason after he criticized Russia's war in Ukraine.

Vladimir Kara-Murza's sentencing is the latest in a crackdown against the opposition that has taken place in Russia since Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Kara-Murza's sentence was the harshest handed down to a Kremlin critic since Putin came to power in 1999.

Some material in this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.