“No matter what Russia says or promises, it will find ways not to implement it”

After the rocket attack on the port of Odessa, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj sees the sense of the grain agreement with Russia in question. “This proves only one thing: no matter what Russia says or promises, it will find ways not to implement it,” Zelenskyy said in a video distributed on Telegram. Ukraine had interpreted the Russian attack as a breach of the agreement on grain exports that was only concluded on Friday.

After signing an agreement to export millions of tons of Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea, the Ukrainian government has expressed skepticism about the reliability of Russia’s commitments. “I’m not opening a champagne bottle because of the agreement,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told the AP news agency in Kyiv on Friday. “I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it works, ships bring grain to world markets and prices go down and people have food. But I’m very cautious because I don’t trust Russia.”

Selenskyj expressed doubts the evening before whether Russia should be trusted. “It is clear to everyone that there could be provocations from Russia, attempts to discredit Ukrainian and international efforts,” he said. “But we trust the UN.”

Russia and Ukraine had previously signed separate agreements with the United Nations and Turkey that would allow 22 million tons of grain to be exported from blocked Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

Grain processing plants were targeted during a Russian rocket attack on the Ukrainian port city of Odessa, according to Ukrainian sources. The port was “hit specifically where grain deliveries were processed,” Ukrainian military spokesman Yuriy Ignat told the AFP news agency.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the rocket fire at the port in the Ukrainian city of Odessa. According to Ukrainian sources, two Russian missiles were intercepted by air defenses and two more hit the commercial port. Guterres said Friday that all parties at the global level made a clear commitment to ensure the safe export of Ukrainian grain. “Full implementation by the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Turkey is imperative,” he said, according to the statement. Kyiv blames Russia for the attack.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell tweeted: “Hiting a key grain export target a day after the signing of the Istanbul Accords is particularly reprehensible and demonstrates once again Russia’s total disregard for international law and obligations.”

After agreements on grain exports from Odessa, according to Ukrainian sources, Russia attacked the port. “It took less than 24 hours for Russia to launch a missile attack on the port of Odessa,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko. If grain exports are not implemented, “Russia will bear full responsibility for a global food crisis”.

Russia and Ukraine had agreed to allow grain exports from Odessa again. At the signing ceremony in Istanbul on Friday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres praised the agreements reached separately with Turkey and the United Nations as a glimmer of hope. The deals served to export millions of tons of Ukrainian grain. It was also intended to allow Russia to export grain and fertilizer. The exports had been prevented by the Russian war in Ukraine. According to the agreements, the Ukrainian ports in Odessa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny should be opened to make them possible.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban calls for a new European Union strategy in connection with the war in Ukraine. The previous measures against Russia would not work, he explained in a speech in Romania. He demands that the new strategy must aim at peace talks instead of trying to win the war against Russia.

At least three people were killed by Russian attacks in central Ukraine on Saturday. The dead were a soldier and two guards from a substation, Kirovograd Governor Andriy Raikovych told Ukrainian media. Nine other Ukrainian soldiers were injured.

The Russian attacks were directed against railway systems and a military airfield. According to Raikovych, a total of 13 Russian missiles were fired. After the Russian army largely took control of the Donbass in eastern Ukraine, it has recently stepped up its attacks in the center of the country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the United States for the announced new arms deliveries in the war against Russia. “Extremely important, powerful weapons will save the lives of our soldiers, accelerate the liberation of our country from the Russian aggressor,” Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter on Saturday. “I appreciate the strategic partnership between our nations. Together to victory!”

The African Union (AU) has welcomed the agreement on grain supplies between Russia and Ukraine. The agreement is a “welcome development” for Africa, the AU said on Saturday. The African continent has been particularly hard hit by the sluggish deliveries caused by the Ukraine war. Many African countries import more than half of their wheat from Russia or Ukraine. The UN had therefore warned of massive famines.

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) does not rule out extending the service life of the three remaining German nuclear power plants, even if she herself remains skeptical. The Green politician said in an interview with “Bild” on Friday evening: “We are now in an emergency situation where we are looking at everything again.”

At the same time, she warned against the frivolous continued use of nuclear power beyond 2022: “It was not without reason that we abandoned nuclear power in Germany.” In such difficult decision-making processes, it is always important that every step is based on facts. That is why Economics Minister Robert Habeck is currently examining the situation in a second stress test. “We are waiting for the results.” Based on the facts that are now known to her, she does not think that the continued operation of the German nuclear reactors is “the right step”. The challenge is the gas supply. “And that’s why nuclear power isn’t the answer.”

The US has released another $270 million worth of military aid to Ukraine. Among other things, four new rocket launchers of the type Himars, up to 580 drones of the type Phoenix Ghosts and 36,000 rounds of artillery ammunition are to be delivered, as the US Department of Defense announced on Friday. The new pack also includes four vehicles that can be used as command posts.

This brings the number of Himars rocket launchers sent to Ukraine to 20. Ukraine says the multiple rocket launchers, which can fire at targets up to 80 kilometers away, are crucial in the fight against Russia. Drones also play an important role for the Ukrainian armed forces. The Phoenix Ghosts drones are small, portable and detonated at their target location.

Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) strictly rejects further financing of the nine-euro ticket or a follow-up offer. “The 9-euro ticket is a temporary measure, just like the tank discount,” Lindner told the newspapers of the Funke media group on Saturday. “Therefore, neither a continuation of the tank discount nor funds for a follow-up regulation for the 9-euro ticket are planned in the federal budget.”

Lindner criticized that when the nine-euro ticket expires at the end of August, taxpayers would finance a non-cost-covering offer in local public transport. “Even those who cannot use the offer even in rural areas pay with it.” The concept does not convince him. “In any case, the federal government could not pay for it, since the debt brake must be complied with again in 2023.”

The rating agency Fitch pushes its rating for Ukraine’s creditworthiness even deeper into the junk zone. Fitch announced that the credit rating would be downgraded by two notches to “C” from the previous “CCC”. This is the lowest rating for risky investments. In the case of C categories, a partial or even complete payment default can be assumed. Earlier, Ukraine had asked for a suspension of debt service and an extension of payment terms.

Ukraine has about $10 billion worth of grain that it can sell under the agreement with Russia on unloading supplies. Around 20 million tons of last year’s harvest would be exported after the conclusion of the agreement, says President Volodymyr Zelenskyj. There should also be an opportunity to sell the current harvest. “This is another proof that Ukraine can withstand war.”