Ukraine, Briefly

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• Russian rockets struck the Ukrainian city of Odesa Saturday, a day after Russia signed an agreement to allow grain exports to flow out of the Black Sea port, the New York Post wrote. On Friday, Ukraine and Russia reached an agreement that would allow essential grain shipments from Ukrainian Black Sea ports to resume, a major diplomatic success aimed at alleviating a worldwide food crisis caused by the war, CNN reported. The breakthrough came after months of discussions and promises to open Black Sea ports to facilitate the safe passage of grain and oilseeds, two of Ukraine’s most vital exports.

• Lithuania has lifted a ban on rail movement of sanctioned products in and out of Russia’s Kaliningrad region, the BBC noted. Kaliningrad is located on the Baltic Sea and has a rail connection to Russia via Lithuania for both passengers and freight. When Lithuania blocked the transportation of steel and other ferrous metals under EU sanctions last month, Russia expressed outrage and threatened the country.

• Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Egyptian authorities Sunday as Russia attempts to end its diplomatic isolation and Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, according to the Associated Press. Egypt is the first stop on his tour of Africa, which will include Ethiopia, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.