Kremlin: No definitive decision related to Black Sea grain deal made

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that it has not taken a final decision about whether to extend the Black Sea grain deal.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that no official decision had been announced yet on whether to extend the deal, which allows for the safe export of grain from Ukraine.

Russia has consistently said it was pessimistic about the prospects of renewing the agreement beyond July 17 because of obstacles to its own exports of grain and fertiliser. But Peskov said there was still time for the West to fulfil those parts of the deal that concern Russia.

Kremlin does not confirm FT report that Xi warned Putin against using nuclear weapons

The Kremlin did not confirm a Financial Times report that Chinese President Xi Jinping had personally warned Russian President Vladimir Putin against using nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

The FT said Xi delivered the message when he visited Moscow in March.

"No, I can't confirm it," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about the report.

He said the two countries had issued statements at the time on the content of their talks, and "everything else is fiction".