U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to hold a meeting on Tuesday with Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, who serves as Pope Francis’ peace envoy. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine.
According to Russia’s defense ministry, its forces successfully destroyed 17 Ukrainian drones and disabled 11 others using electronic methods while repelling an attack on Crimea.
The Ukrainian military reported that Russia launched cruise missiles and employed Iranian-made Shahed drones to carry out an overnight attack on the Odesa region. This resulted in damage to port facilities and residential areas.
In response, Ukraine’s air defense system managed to shoot down six Kalibr missiles and 21 drones over Odesa. However, the resulting debris and blast waves caused additional damage on the ground.
Furthermore, Ukraine announced the interception and downing of drones in the Mykolaiv region in the south of the country. Overall, the military successfully intercepted 31 out of a total of 36 drones across Ukraine.
The Odesa region is significant due to its multiple ports involved in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a collaboration between the United Nations and Turkey to facilitate the export of Ukrainian grain to the global market.
Russia recently declared its decision to withdraw from the agreement that allowed safe passage for exports past Russian warships in the Black Sea. The Kremlin spokesperson stated that the agreement had not been fully implemented, and therefore, its effect was terminated. However, the United Nations understood the decision as a complete termination of the agreement.
During a Security Council meeting at the United Nations, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba acknowledged the debate among diplomats regarding whether Russia terminated or merely suspended its participation in the deal. He emphasized that Russia’s stance lacks clarity and urged them to act in good faith and resume their participation.
Kuleba criticized Russia’s behavior, stating that they should cease playing games with people’s livelihoods and resume their commitment to the agreement.
The final ship to depart Ukraine through the maritime corridor left the port of Odesa on Sunday and arrived in Istanbul on Monday, marking the completion of the passage.