KYIV, June 21(ABC): Moscow s blockade of Ukrainian grain exports and a rail transit row sparked fresh tensions between Russia and the European Union on Monday, as Kyiv warned that Russian troops were intensifying their battle for control of eastern Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of holding Africa “hostage” by blocking wheat deliveries, which has spurred food shortages and fears of famines in vulnerable areas.
Russia hit back by blaming soaring grain prices on the West s “destructive” policies and “illegal restrictions” imposed since the war began.
Nearly four months after Russia launched its bloody invasion, Zelensky said Ukraine was headed into a “fateful” week with EU leaders set to discuss Kyiv s bid to become a candidate for bloc membership on Thursday and Friday.
European Council President Charles Michel on Monday invited the bloc s leaders to back granting candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova ahead of the pivotal Brussels summit.
Zelensky warned to expect heavier fighting in the days to come in strategic areas in eastern Ukraine already under relentless Russian bombardment.
Ukraine said Russian troops appeared to be making small gains, including capturing a village near the industrial city of Severodonetsk, a focus of recent fighting.
The fallout from the war continued to reverberate beyond Ukraine s borders, with Russia threatening EU member Lithuania over its “openly hostile” restrictions on the rail transit of goods to Moscow s exclave of Kaliningrad.
Russia s foreign ministry said if the cargo transit between Kaliningrad and the rest of the country was not fully restored “Russia reserves the right to take actions to protect its national interests”.
Lithuania and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the ban was in line with European sanctions over Moscow s aggression.
Turkey dealt a fresh blow to Sweden and Finland s hopes for swift NATO membership on Monday, saying next week s alliance summit in Madrid was not a deadline.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said talks between Turkey, Sweden and Finland in Brussels were “constructive” but conceded that Ankara s “legitimate” concerns had not been fully addressed.
Turkey says the Nordic nations offer a safe haven to the Kurdistan Workers Party, an organisation listed as a “terrorist” group by its Western allies.
Elsewhere on the diplomatic front, US President Joe Biden said it was “not likely” that a trip to Europe this week would include Ukraine, after the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Britain met Zelensky in Kyiv last week.
Biden is one of few Western leaders yet to visit the country since Russia s invasion.