


National security adviser Jake Sullivan offered his prediction on how Russia will handle the Black Sea initiative as it is set to expire Monday.
The initiative, brokered by Turkey, allows the safe export of grain from Ukraine's Black Sea ports. Since the war broke out, its ports had previously been endangered by the conflict, but the first shipment since Russia invaded in February 2022 was able to leave Aug 1. Now, the original deal is slated to expire at midnight Monday, and Sullivan admitted Russian President Vladimir Putin could go either way on it.
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"Look, I can’t predict what Vladimir Putin will do. He has been all over the map with respect to this initiative over the course of the past many months. It is possible that Russia pulls out of it. It is possible they continue," Sullivan said Sunday on CBS News's Face the Nation.
"If, in fact, they pull out of it, the rest of the world will take a look at that and say that Russia has turned its back on ensuring that the countries of the global south and Africa and Latin America and Asia can get the food they need at affordable prices and I think that will come at an enormous diplomatic cost to Russia going forward," Sullivan added.
Additionally, Sullivan assured viewers that the United States is prepared for either scenario. He implied that a partnership with the Ukrainians is brewing in preparation.
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The national security adviser also went on to renew his commitment to allow Ukraine to join NATO soon because "Ukraine’s future is in NATO." Sullivan promised it is "not up for negotiation."
This interview comes days after President Joe Biden sent Ukraine cluster munitions to help in the war against Russia.