Russia is ready for talks with Ukraine only if based on Istanbul agreements - Putin
Russian ruler Vladimir Putin has said that Russia is willing to hold peace talks with Ukraine, but only on the basis of the terms agreed during the negotiations in Istanbul.
During the last serious round of negotiations in Istanbul last year, Russia presented Ukraine with a list of extremely tough demands that essentially amounted to a demand for capitulation. The main conditions included Ukraine’s formal recognition of Crimea and the occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions as Russian territory, along with the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from these areas. Moscow also insisted on Ukraine’s permanent neutral status with a constitutional ban on NATO membership, a drastic reduction in the size and capabilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and a full cessation of Western arms supplies and intelligence sharing.
Additional Russian demands included lifting martial law, ending mobilization, holding nationwide elections in Ukraine, granting official state status to the Russian language, and providing special protections for the Russian-speaking population. Moscow further required Ukraine to renounce all claims for reparations and gradually restore diplomatic and economic relations with Russia while lifting international sanctions. These conditions were widely viewed by Kyiv and Western partners as unacceptable and effectively designed to turn Ukraine into a defeated, demilitarized state under Russian influence.
Russia has illegally shipped nearly 90,000 tons of wheat through the occupied Mariupol port in 2026
Russia has exported at least 88,800 metric tons of wheat through the Russian-occupied port of Mariupol since the beginning of 2026, according to Mariupol's city council in exile.
The council reported that 12 cargo vessels transported wheat through the port during the first five months of the year, citing data from Russia's agricultural watchdog, Rosselkhoznadzor.
Since occupying Mariupol, Russia has invested in restoring the port and expanding its role as a major export hub for grain taken from occupied Ukrainian territories. Russian authorities planned to use the port to move cargo through the Volga-Don Canal to the Caspian Sea and onward through the Black and Mediterranean seas to international markets.
The port has also become an important military and logistics hub for Russian forces, linking occupied Donetsk Oblast, Crimea and Russia. In addition to grain exports, it has reportedly been used to transport military cargo supporting operations on the southern front.
Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of systematically seizing agricultural products from occupied territories and selling them abroad. According to Ukrainian officials, Russia exported around 2 million metric tons of grain taken from occupied Ukrainian territories in 2025 alone, with shipments reaching markets in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Ukrainian estimates suggest that Russia harvested roughly 30 million metric tons of grain and oilseeds in occupied territories during the first three years of the full-scale war, with the total potentially reaching 50 million metric tons by mid-2026.
The port's operations have also faced disruptions from Ukrainian strikes. Earlier this month, Ukrainian forces reported attacks on port infrastructure in Mariupol, including electrical substations, radar systems, repair facilities, fuel storage tanks, and a cargo vessel allegedly linked to Russia's shadow fleet. The current operational status of some facilities remains unclear.
Russian oil exports hit a record high of 4.11 million barrels per day
Russia's oil exports rose to their highest level of 2026 during the week ending 21 June, driven in part by disruptions to domestic refining caused by Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.
As repeated attacks on refineries have reduced Russia's processing capacity, more crude oil has been redirected to export markets instead of being refined domestically. This has contributed to a significant increase in seaborne oil shipments.
At the same time, Russia is facing growing competition from Iran. Following a temporary understanding with the United States, Iran has expanded oil exports, and its crude grades are increasingly competing with Russia's Urals blend in key markets, particularly India. Demand for Iranian oil has risen, putting additional pressure on Russian exporters.
The increased supply on global markets has coincided with a decline in oil prices. Since the beginning of June, global oil prices have fallen by roughly 16%, while prices for Russia's export grades have dropped by around 20%.
The trend poses a challenge for Moscow, as oil and gas revenues remain one of the most important sources of funding for the Russian state budget and its war effort. Lower prices mean that even with higher export volumes, Russia earns less revenue per barrel, increasing pressure on government finances.