After the first hundred days of war – today is the 101st – Russian President Vladimir Putin returns to the specter of hunger as a consequence of the war: «The situation will get worse, because the British and Americans sanction our fertilizers. Russia is a scapegoat for the food crisis ». And he has offered the ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk to unblock grain exports to Ukraine. Meanwhile, from America Secretary of State Anthony Blinken assured that the West is not trying to drag hostilities into Ukraine and urged Moscow to put an end to the conflict: “We don’t want a long war – he said – that would damage Russia”. And French President Emmanuel Macron spoke again, speaking of Putin, calling him “isolated” after making a “huge mistake”. And after the new round of EU sanctions, which affects the “Bucha butchers” and Peskov’s family together with Putin’s “girlfriend”, 20 Russian oligarchs – including Abramovich – are appealing to the EU Court of Justice.
From the front comes news from the Russian army: Putin would have torpedoed General Aleksandr Dvornikov, head of military operations. Yesterday two other reporters were injured: they are two reporters from Reuters which were bombed at the entrance to Severodonetsk. A French volunteer who fought with the Ukrainians was killed in battle.
The special – Iconography of war: 100 photos for 100 days from the Russian invasion of Ukraine
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Follow the updates hour by hour
00.10 – Cnn, US and allied meetings, Italy plan is evaluated
In recent weeks, US officials “have met regularly with their British and European counterparts to discuss potential plans for a ceasefire and to end the war through a negotiated agreement” and “among the topics addressed was the plan in four points proposed by Italy at the end of last month ». CNN reports this, citing sources familiar with the talks. United States Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas Greenfield had expressed appreciation for the Italian plan earlier this week, but two US officials said Cnn that Washington would not actually support the Italian proposal. In any case, US and Western officials have specified to the broadcaster that “there is a growing concern” that “if the Russians and Ukrainians do not get back to the table and find an agreement, the war could drag on for years” .
00.02 – Ambassador of Ukraine: Russia also sends our grain to the Turks
The Ukrainian ambassador in Ankara accuses Russia of taking over Ukrainian wheat and shipping it to many countries including Turkey. “Russia shamefully stole Ukrainian grain and sent it across the sea from Crimea to Turkey,” said Kiev envoy to Ankara Vasyl Bodna. “We asked Turkey for help to solve the case,” he added in a message on Twitter. Ukraine was the largest exporter of wheat and sunflower oil before the Russian invasion of February 24. Turkey has tried to maintain a delicate balance between Kiev and Moscow. As a member of the Atlantic Alliance, it has sent combat drones to Ukraine and has taken on a role of mediating the conflict, but has refrained from imposing sanctions on Russia on which it depends for grain and energy. Ankara has also offered, at the request of the United Nations, help to ensure safe maritime corridors for Ukrainian grain exports. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will be in Turkey on Wednesday to discuss the issue. Food prices have shot up since the war began, with countries in Africa and the Middle East particularly at risk if the grain is not exported as Russian ships blockade or Ukraine’s ports in the Black Sea.
Here’s what happened on Friday, June 3