The Taiwan secessionist Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) candidate for the 2024 regional election Lai Ching-te, also deputy regional leader, will make "stopovers in New York and San Francisco" during an August 12-18 trip to Paraguay, the Taiwan "external affairs authority" announced on Wednesday, and this will become a new incident to worsen tension in the Taiwan Straits and another evidence of US' encouragement toward
Moscow is prepared to return to the grain deal as soon as the conditions concerning Russia are fulfilled, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Sputnik on Tuesday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a phone conversation on Wednesday that the Black Sea Grain Initiative lost its meaning due to a complete absence of progress on implementation of the agreement's part that concerned Russia, the Kremlin said.
Earlier in the day, a Sputnik correspondent reported that eight territorial defense battalions received small arms, combat digital radios, quadcopters, anti-drone rifles as well as new pickup trucks. Before obtaining the weaponry, the fighters underwent firearms and psychological training.
Russian drone strikes damaged grain facilities at the Ukrainian ports of Izmayil and Odesa overnight, authorities said on August 2, prompting Turkey to call on the Kremlin to avoid escalating the already high tensions in and around the Black Sea.
Ukraine's counteroffensive is proceeding "more slowly" than expected, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby has conceded despite the shipment of huge military aide by Kiev's Western supporters.
The Kiev regime's terrorist measures have deteriorated the Ukrainian crisis and delayed a peace settlement, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has emphasized, blaming Kiev's Western sponsors.
Russia has launched a retaliatory attack, targeting Ukraine's capital city Kiev and the port city of Odesa, following recent drone attacks on Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call with his Turkish counterpart has emphasized that Moscow was ready to return to the Black Sea grain deal as soon as the West met its obligations with regard to Russia's own grain exports.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Tuesday that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry made a "mistake" by summoning Polish ambassador.
The following are the latest developments related to the Ukraine crisis:
By Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission
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