Day 419 since the start of the war: The US is concerned that Russia could use a tactical nuclear weapon. Poland and Ukraine have reached an agreement in the dispute over grain imports.
The most important things at a glance
Lula condemns violation of territorial integrity of Ukraine
2.44 am: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has condemned Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. At a lunch with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, Lula also reiterated his suggestion that a group of neutral nations mediate peace between Russia and Ukraine. Lula drew ire from several Western countries over the weekend when he, during a visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, called for the US and EU to stop exporting arms to Ukraine.
Cybersecurity Center warns of pro-Russian hackers
2:34 am: The UK’s National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) warns of increasing attacks on western countries’ infrastructure by hackers supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine. Some hacker groups aimed to cause major disruption or destruction, for example, in electricity or water supply, the agency said. “Although such groups are ideologically motivated and aligned with the interests of the Russian state, they are not subject to any formal state control,” the warning reads. That makes them less predictable.
Donetsk separatist leader meets with Lukashenko
2:23 a.m: The head of the separatist administration of the Donetsk region, appointed by Russia, Denis Puschilin, met with the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. Pushilin writes on Telegram that he is interested in machines, tractors, buses and construction products from Belarus. In return, his region will export grain to Belarus. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has protested against the meeting. It called on the Belarusian government to refrain from “destructive steps” and announced the recall of the Ukrainian ambassador to Belarus for consultations.
USA worried: Putin could force escalation with nuclear weapons
11:32 p.m.: The US is urging its allies to watch out for signs of Russian nuclear weapons being used in Ukraine. “We have all observed and worried that Vladimir Putin might use what he considers to be a non-strategic tactical nuclear weapon (…),” said Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman. Putin could thus force an escalation with a controlled risk. “It is very important that we remain vigilant in this regard.”
Poland and Ukraine settle dispute over Ukrainian grain
7:49 p.m.: Poland and Ukraine have settled their dispute over imports of Ukrainian grain. As the Polish Minister of Agriculture Robert Telus said after a meeting with Ukrainian representatives on Tuesday, the import ban imposed by Warsaw is to be lifted and Ukrainian grain will be transported through Poland again from next Saturday. However, Warsaw and Kiev have agreed on “mechanisms” to ensure “that not a ton of grain remains in Poland,” Telus said.
Hungary and Poland announced on Saturday that they would no longer import grain and other food from Ukraine until the end of June. As a result of the Russian war of aggression, fewer agricultural products are exported from Ukraine by sea. Instead, a particularly large amount of grain from Ukraine reaches Poland and other neighboring European countries overland.
Although the agricultural goods are actually supposed to be exported to other countries, they often remain in neighboring Ukrainian countries, where silos are full and prices fall significantly. This in turn drives the peasants in Poland and Hungary to the barricades.
