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New developments:
European Union ambassadors in Brussels discussed on Monday a decision by some member states to temporarily ban imports of grain and other items from Ukraine.
Poland, Hungary and Slovakia announced bans on some imports from Ukraine, with other central and eastern European countries saying they may follow suit.
The three countries argue a glut of low-priced agricultural imports is hurting their local farmers. Poland and Hungary on Saturday said their bans will remain in effect through June 30. The French news agency reports Slovakia's ban will take effect on Wednesday.
Spokespersons for the EU's executive arm said a solution must be found that respects the EU legal framework, The Associated Press reported.
Chief EU commission spokesperson Eric Mamer was cited as saying Poland and other countries "have been doing their utmost" to help Ukraine. But, he added, "so this is not about sanctioning. This is about finding solutions based on EU law in the interests at the same time of the Ukrainians and of the EU."
The issue of the imported food has created problems for Poland's ruling nationalist Law and Justice party. Poland holds elections later this year and counts on rural areas for a large amount of support.
The discussions among EU officials will continue Tuesday as Kyiv tries to renegotiate food and grain transit via Poland and end the ban on its products by European countries that are trying to protect their local markets.
The bans also come as Russia warns it may not extend a Black Sea grain deal set to expire May 18, stranding millions of tons of grain inside Ukraine. Ukraine is a major agricultural producer that relies on food sales for much of its gross domestic product.
Lavrov in Brazil
Separately, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Monday Moscow wants a quick end to the conflict in Ukraine.
At a news conference with Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira in Brasilia, Lavrov thanked his counterpart for "understanding of the genesis of the situation in Ukraine." He added that Russia had "an interest" in the conflict ending as soon as possible.
Russia has reiterated that any peace negotiation in Ukraine must acknowledge the "realities" of Russia's unilateral annexation of four Ukrainian provinces.
Russia says it was forced to intervene in Ukraine to defend Russian speakers from persecution and prevent the West from using Ukraine as a springboard to threaten Russia's security.
Kyiv and the West say these are baseless pretexts for a war of conquest where war crimes have been committed.
Separately, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland met with Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin at the Department of Justice in Washington to discuss joint efforts to punish war criminals in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
G-7 Russian sanctions
Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations Monday reinforced their commitment to strongly supporting Ukraine, while also "intensifying, fully coordinating and enforcing sanctions against Russia."
At a meeting in Japan, the G-7 ministers "underscored that Russia must withdraw all forces and equipment from Ukraine immediately and unconditionally," according to a statement issued by Japan's foreign ministry.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a meeting focused on Russia's war in Ukraine that it is important to maintain unity in enforcing sanctions against Russia.
Following Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement last month that Moscow would deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, the G-7 ministers condemned the move Monday, reaffirming that "Russia's irresponsible nuclear rhetoric is unacceptable," the statement said.
Russia was once part of what was then the G-8 but was expelled after it annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014.
Land mine threats
Britain's defense ministry Monday highlighted the mounting number of civilian land mine-related deaths in Ukraine.
The British ministry said the problem is worst in areas that Russian troops previously occupied, including Kherson and Kharkiv, and that the risk increases with the arrival of springtime agricultural work.
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 17 April 2023.Find out more about Defence Intelligence's use of language: https://t.co/4mwUj4lkMJ🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/WrzCRcYzAJ
"Over 750 mine-related casualties among civilians have been reported since the start of the invasion - one in eight has involved a child. It will likely take at least a decade to clear Ukraine of mines," the ministry said in its latest daily assessment.
Meanwhile, Russia sentenced a prominent opposition activist to 25 years in prison Monday on charges that included treason after he criticized Russia's war in Ukraine.
Vladimir Kara-Murza's sentencing is the latest in a crackdown against the opposition that has taken place in Russia since Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Kara-Murza's sentence was the harshest handed down to a Kremlin critic since Putin came to power in 1999.
Some material in this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.