US to continue efforts to provide safe passage for Ukrainian grain, says envoy to Kyiv

United States will continue its efforts to felicitate  safe pass of blocked Ukrainian grain from key maritime lanes in Black Sea, US Ambassor to Ukraine Bridget Brink said on July 16. In a conversation held with Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov, Brink was informed about ongoing negotiations with UN and Turkey in order to establish grain transport corridors through Black Sea. 

"Ukraine is rey to export grain to countries in need; United States continues engaging with partners to provide safe pass for grain," she wrote on Twitter, shortly after discussion. 

ditionally, Brink also earlier met with Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko in Kyiv to take stock of war crimes in Ukrainian capital. "So proud to call beautiful city of Kyiv our home. With victory, we can't wait to realize Kyiv's future as a great European capital," US Ambassor said. As Russia's naval blocke of Black Sea ports has triggered logistical chaos and a global food short, Turkey has mediated to hold trilateral talks with Russia, Ukraine and UN to implement a plan for safe transit of grain. 

possible resumption of peace talks: Russia

Kremlin, which has agreed to resolve longstanding issue, blaming Ukrainian forces' scattering of mines in sea,  clarified that re will be " possible resumption" of peace talks even if  agreement will be signed on establishing a naval corridor. Leonid Slutsky, Moscow-appointed leer of Russia’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) from  breakaway oblast of Donetsk and Luhansk said, "An agreement on export of grain from Ukraine by sea may be signed in Istanbul with UN’s mediation next week. Of course, after that, agreement will require implementation, and our expectations are t too high." 

Slutsky affirmed that talks will be conducted, although he emphasised that  agreements on grain export [from Black Sea] are guarantee that Moscow and Kyiv will resume peace talks. He continued, "Hideous atrocities are being committed [by Ukrainian forces] including against our prisoners of war (POWs) captured in Ukraine." European Union officials also highlighted "critical role" of naval transit for export of grain from Ukraine via maritime lanes in Black Sea.