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In the future, concrete, wood and alcohol could again be brought to Kaliningrad by train through EU territory
Photo: VITALY NEVAR / REUTERS
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Agricultural trader Baywa doubts rapid improvement in grain exports
7:48 a.m .:
Germany’s largest agricultural trader, Munich-based Baywa, does not expect a rapid improvement in grain exports from Ukraine.
"It remains to be seen how much and, above all, how quickly" the global supply situation will improve, the company said.
Baywa also doubts that shipping companies will soon let their merchant ships sail again.
Appropriate preparations are needed for this, said Baywa.
For example, the regions around the loading ports would have to be demined.
"It can also be assumed that, despite the agreement, shipping companies will not call at Ukrainian seaports in order to protect their employees."
Lithuania apparently allows goods shipments to Kaliningrad
7:29 a.m .:
Lithuania has apparently lifted the ban on transporting sanctioned goods to and from Kaliningrad in Russia by rail.
"It is possible that some goods will be transported today," said Mantas Dubauskas, spokesman for the state railway company, according to the Russian news agency RIA.
The state-owned Russian news agency Tass quoted a Kaliningrad government official as saying that 60 wagons of cement would soon be shipped to the exclave.
The European Union said last week that the transit ban would only affect road traffic, not rail traffic.
Therefore, the Baltic state of Lithuania should allow Russia to transport concrete, wood and alcohol to the exclave via EU territory.
Since June 17, Lithuania's customs have stopped shipments of goods that are on the EU's list of sanctions against Russia.
CDU defense politician Otte warns of freezing the war
6:37 a.m .:
The CDU defense politician Henning Otte warns that the situation in Ukraine will freeze.
Freezing the war would enormously strengthen Russia's position and only prolong this conflict, Otte said.
"Success in Ukraine would encourage Putin to expand this war of aggression to other countries," said the Deputy Chairman of the Defense Committee.
"Massive support for Ukraine is urgently needed, since President Vladimir Putin has made it clear that he is concerned with further land gains."
Otte said a national Ukraine conference called for by the FDP defense politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann would unnecessarily delay the rapid support of Ukraine.
"It doesn't help at all to shift responsibility to newly created bodies if the federal government is obviously not willing to support Ukraine sufficiently."
USA increase military aid – and what else happened during the night:
5:10 a.m
.: The United States wants to deliver weapons worth around $ 270 million to Ukraine.
That's according to the National Security Council's Communications Director, John Kirby.
The new package includes, among other things, missiles for the Himars systems, 36,000 artillery shells, vehicles and up to 580 "Phoenix Ghost" drones.
The package also includes four Himars multiple rocket launchers, the delivery of which the US government had previously announced.
Washington is also examining whether US fighter jets could be delivered to Ukraine, Kirby said in a telephone switchboard with reporters.
At the same time, he emphasized "that these are exploratory considerations that cannot be implemented in the near future".
What else happened that night:
A senior US official has denied claims that Russia destroyed four Himars systems owned by Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is opposed to a ceasefire without the return of Russian-held territories.
According to information from Kyiv, more than a thousand Russian soldiers have been surrounded by Ukrainian forces in the occupied southern Ukrainian region of Cherson.
After the agreement on an end to the blockade of Ukrainian grain exports, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for the agreement to be implemented quickly.
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) does not rule out the failure of the tank ring exchange agreed with Poland for Ukraine and wants to look for alternatives in this case.
Read an overview of the themes of the night here.
kko/AFP/dpa/Reuters
