The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce called for "concrete proposals from both sides" in order for Washington to "move forward" in peace negotiations.
"If they speak to each other in Russian, he doesn't know what they are saying," one Western official told NBC News. Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, called Witkoff's approach "a very bad idea."
Tougher sanctions "should be applied to (Russia's) banking and energy sectors, targeting fossil fuels, oil, and the shadow fleet," the leaders of Ukraine, the U.K., France, Germany, and Poland said in a joint statement.
"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
Ships, including those carrying grain from Ukraine and awaiting inspections, are seen anchored off the Istanbul coastline on Nov. 02, 2022 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
War risk insurance premiums for vessels traversing Ukraine’s shipping corridor in the Black Sea have increased by about 33 per cent following Russia's recent attacks on foreign ships, Bloomberg reported on Oct. 10, citing sources in the market.
According to the insurance market sources, coverage has jumped to above one per cent of the value of a ship, up from around 0.75 per cent last week.
The increase in rates follows Russian strikes on three foreign ships flying the flags of Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Panama within a four day stretch between Oct. 6-9.
The Saint Kitts and Nevis vessel attacked on Oct. 6 was loaded with about 6,000 tons of Ukrainian corn intended for export. While on Oct. 7, five foreign nationals were injured and one port employee was killed in the attack on the Palau-flagged boat. No details were provided as to what the second vessel was carrying.
A Russian missile strike on Odesa Oblast on Oct. 9 also hit a Panama-flagged civilian cargo ship containing 45 containers of packaged sunflower oil to be sent as humanitarian aid to Palestine, Ukraine's Agriculture Ministry said on Oct. 10.
Under the increased premiums, a ship valued at $50 million would see an increase of $125,000 per voyage.
Increased instability in the Black Sea has lead to wheat futures in Chicago rising 2.5 per cent thus far this week, Bloomberg reported.
Traveling along the route, Ukrainian ships are regularly at risk of being attacked by Russia. Since the beginning of the all-out war, mines have also been drifting along the trade route, which also poses a risk to maritime transport.
Kyiv was forced to set up a new export route in the Black Sea last year after Russia unilaterally terminated the Black Sea grain deal. Initially envisioned as a humanitarian corridor to allow the departure of ships stranded there since the start of the full-scale war, it has since grown into a full-blown trade route.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Nate Ostiller
