Russia’s war on Ukraine latest: Kremlin watches reports West may ban exports
(Reuters) – The Kremlin said it was monitoring reports of a possible ban on exports to Russia by Western countries, and that new sanctions would hit the global economy.
MORE SANCTIONS, MORE AID
* The Group of Seven (G7) countries are considering a near-total ban on exports to Russia, Kyodo news agency reported, citing Japanese government sources.
* Ukraine pressed allies for long-range weapons, jets and ammunition as the United States hosted a meeting at the Ramstein air base in Germany to discuss stepped up support.
* Britain sanctioned a Russian judge and four others linked to the arrest of British-Russian Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza who was jailed for 25 years this week.
* The U.S. decision to provide Ukraine with 31 advanced M1A2 Abrams tanks will make a difference in the war but is no silver bullet, U.S. Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Friday.
ACCIDENTAL FIRING
* A Russian Sukhoi-34 supersonic warplane accidentally fired a weapon into the city of Belgorod near Ukraine late on Thursday, causing an explosion and injuring three people.
GRAIN MOVES
* A deal allowing the safe Black Sea export of Ukraine grain could start winding down next week after Russia said it will not approve any new vessels unless their operators guarantee the transits will be done by May 18 – “the expected date of … closure.”
* Ukraine’s prospects of unblocking grain shipments to eastern Europe improved on Friday as Romania opted against a unilateral ban on food imports, but there was no progress on extending a deal on Black Sea exports.
* The Ukrainian agriculture ministry published lists on Friday of commodities and countries that have banned them.
* The first trucks carrying Ukrainian food products including corn and eggs were bound to start transit via Poland to the Netherlands on Friday morning, a Polish customs official said, as rules allowing the shipments took effect overnight.
* The Hungarian Grain and Feed Association said it opposed the government’s ban on grain and oilseed imports from neighbouring Ukraine, adding that the restrictions will hit feed makers and industrial users in Hungary.
BATTLE FOR BAKHMUT
* Ukraine said Russian forces had made some advances in fierce fighting for the eastern city of Bakhmut but that the situation was under control. Russia said earlier its troops were fighting in the last part of the key battleground city still held by Kyiv’s forces.
DIPLOMACY
* Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned on Friday of an “uncontrollable” arms race and said Moscow needed to build up its tactical missile capabilities including in its Kaliningrad territory that borders Poland and Lithuania, the RIA news agency said.
* Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the OPEC+ deal to cap oil production with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, in a telephone call, the Kremlin said.
* Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is expected to avoid criticism of the U.S. and European role in the Ukraine war when he visits Portugal this weekend, two Brazilian officials told Reuters.
(Compiled by Reuters editors)
