"Turkey's Release of Azov Commanders Leaves Russia Surprised"

The foreign ministers of Russia and Turkey held a phone conversation to discuss the situation in Ukraine and the Black Sea grain export agreement. Turkey's decision to send five Ukrainian commanders home with President Zelenskiy has angered Russia, who called it a violation of a prisoner exchange agreement. Moscow has threatened to quit the grain export deal, set for renewal on July 17, if its demands are not met. The two sides also discussed recent developments in Ukraine, including the return of the detained Azov unit commanders, who were released in a prisoner swap last year and were supposed to stay in Turkey until the war ends.