That's all from the live blog for tonight. Join us from 0600 CET on Wednesday for more updates.

Soros says Ukraine may be start of World War Three

Billionaire financier George Soros said on Tuesday that Russia's invasion of Ukraine may have been the beginning of World War Three so the best way to preserve free civilisation was for the West to defeat President Vladimir Putin's forces.

Soros, 91, a legendary hedge fund manager who earned fame by betting against the pound in 1992, cast the Ukraine war as part of a broader struggle between open societies and closed societies such as China and Russia which were in the ascent.

"The invasion may have been the beginning of the Third World War and our civilization may not survive it," Soros told Davos, according to a text of his speech released by his office.

"The best and perhaps only way to preserve our civilization is to defeat Putin as soon as possible. That's the bottom line."

Soros said that Putin, who says the "special operation" in Ukraine is going to plan and will achieve all the Kremlin's aims, now believed the invasion was a mistake and was preparing to negotiate a ceasefire.

"But the ceasefire is unattainable because he cannot be trusted," Soros said. "The weaker Putin gets the more unpredictable he becomes."

Soros said the European Union had to understand that Putin could turn off Russian natural gas, which currently accounts for about 40% of Europe's needs, "while it really hurts".

(Reuters)

Hungary declares legal 'state of danger' over Ukraine war

Hungary declared a legal "state of danger" in response to Russia's war in neighbouring Ukraine, the prime minister announced on Tuesday, allowing the right-wing nationalist government to take special measures without the participation of the legislature.

In a video on social media, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that the war in Ukraine represented "a constant threat to Hungary" which was "putting our physical security at risk and threatening the energy and financial security of our economy and families."

In response, he said, a "war state of danger" would take effect beginning on Wednesday, allowing the government "to respond immediately and protect Hungary and Hungarian families by any means possible."

The move came after Orban's ruling party passed a constitutional amendment on Tuesday allowing for legal states of danger to be declared when armed conflicts, wars or humanitarian disasters were taking place in neighbouring countries.

The special legal order permits the government to enact laws by decree without parliamentary oversight, and permits the temporary suspension of and deviation from existing laws.

Hungary's government implemented similar measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to outcry from critics and legal observers, who argued they gave the government authority to rule by decree.

That special legal order was set to expire on June 1.

Orban's government has been accused of eroding democratic freedoms in Hungary since taking power in 2010 and using state resources to cement its power.

(AP)

Duma passes bill to allow closure of Western news bureaux

Russia's parliament on Tuesday passed a bill giving prosecutors powers to shut foreign media bureaux in Moscow if a Western country has been "unfriendly" to Russian media, following the closure of some Russian state news outlets in the West.

The bill, passed in the first reading by the lower house of parliament, or Duma, also prohibits the distribution of articles or other materials from media that have been closed by the prosecutor's office. It needs to undergo two more readings, be reviewed by the upper house of parliament, and signed by President Vladimir Putin to become law.

The journalists of a media organisation deemed to be an offender under the bill would have their foreign ministry accreditation withdrawn - meaning they could not work in Russia.

The bill was introduced by influential lawmakers, including Andrei Lugovoy, who was charged in absentia by British prosecutors for the 2006 poisoning murder of Alexander Litvinenko. Lugovoy, a former KGB bodyguard, has repeatedly denied the charges.

The new bill adds to the challenges facing foreign media after Russia in March adopted a law which penalized what it termed spreading "fake" news about its army.

(Reuters)

War enters 'most active phase of full-scale Russian aggression'

The battles currently being fought in eastern Ukraine could determine the whole country's fate, Ukrainian Defence Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said on Tuesday.

Euronews International Correspondent Anelise Borges, reporting from Dnipro, said fighting in the east had intensified since Russian forces took control of the port of Mariupol.

"Since that happened, there seems to be a renewed effort to break through Ukrainian lines of defence all across the Donbas, especially in cities like Sievierodonetsk," she said.

Read the full story here:

Ukraine war in 'most active phase of full-scale Russian aggression'

UK legislators banned en masse from entering Russia 

Some 154 members of the House of Lords, upper house of the British parliament, have been banned from entering Russia, the country's foreign ministry has announced.

The ministry said the 154 had all "made a direct contribution" to the wide-ranging sanctions imposed on Russian officials by London and aiding "the political isolation of Russia and the destruction of its economy”.

William Hague, a former foreign minister and Conservative Party leader, is among those to have been blacklisted. 

Russia 'responsible for food crisis' — von der Leyen

More from the European Commission president's interview with Euronews. 

Ursula von der Leyen accused Russia of provoking a world food crisis as a result of the invasion of Ukraine, one of the world's leading exporters of wheat, corn, barley and sunflower oil.

Russia has managed to control most of Ukraine's access to the Black Sea, effectively imposing a blockade that prevents Ukrainian ships from bringing food supplies to global markets. The restrictions have dealt a huge blow to the nation's economy and raised the alarm among low-income countries.

"No possibility should be [left] unused to have a dialogue with Russia" to solve the situation, said von der Leyen. "It cannot be that Russia is already responsible with the war for this food crisis, but that now it is knowingly blocking the Black Sea and thus responsible for the starvation of millions of people."

"There are discussions with Russia, so that's good, in unblocking the Black Sea," she added.

Kyiv has asked the EU and the G7 to set up green corridors to allow food supplies to leave Ukraine via alternative land routes. The country is currently storing around 40 million tonnes of grain, half of which must be exported by the end of July.

"We're working hard with the Ukrainians to help them bring out the wheat for example, through trucks or trains, and other transport modes. This is not easy but we're working on all fronts," von der Leyen said.

The Commission chief plans to host an event on food security with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt, one of the most exposed countries to the food disruption caused by the war.

(Euronews)

(See also earlier post on Ursula von der Leyen's interview with Reuters)

82% of Ukrainians oppose territorial concessions — poll

Eighty-two percent of Ukrainians believe that Ukraine should not sign away any of its territories as part of a peace deal with Russia under any circumstances, according to a new survey by one of the country's top pollsters.

In the poll conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology between May 13-18 and released on Tuesday, 82% of respondents said they did not support territorial concessions, even if it prolonged the war and increased the threat to Ukraine's independence.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, a move Moscow calls a special military operation to "demilitarise" Ukraine.

Ten percent of the 2,000 people surveyed found it acceptable for Ukraine to concede territory to achieve peace, while eight percent were undecided. According to the poll, 77% of Ukrainians living in Russian-occupied territory opposed any land concessions.

Ukraine’s government has repeatedly stated that it does not intend to make any territorial concessions to Russia and has said it is not currently seeking a ceasefire despite calls from European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

In an interview with Reuters on Saturday, Ukrainian negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak said that any ceasefire at present would simply delay further fighting.

(Reuters)

EU's VdL hopeful for deal on Russian oil ban within 'weeks'

A deal on a stalled proposal to introduce an EU-wide ban on Russian oil imports could be reached "in a matter of weeks," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told Euronews.

Several rounds of intense negotiations have failed to deliver the much-needed breakthrough, with Hungary emerging as the main and most vocal opponent.

Read the full story here:

EU may reach deal on Russian oil ban 'in a matter of weeks', says VDL

The proposed embargo has hit an impasse as Hungary demands a lengthier phase-out and extra investments to revamp its energy system. #EuropeNews

EU validates suspension of customs duties for Ukraine 

The European Council, made up of the EU27's heads of state or government, approved on Tuesday the suspension for one year of customs duties on all products imported from Ukraine to support its economy under Russia's war.

The measure, proposed on 27 April by the European Commission, was approved earlier by the European Parliament on 19 May. 

The suspension of customs duties "will facilitate Ukraine's trade in the face of (Russia's) aggression and provide support for its economy," Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis told a press conference.

Bilateral trade between the EU and Ukraine amounted to €52 billion in trade last year, according to the EU executive. The figure has doubled since 2016.

But since the end of February and the Russian invasion, Ukraine's agricultural and industrial production has been hit hard, as well as its trade relations with the rest of the world, with the country's access to the sea blocked by the Russian navy.

Ukraine's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to collapse by 35% this year, according to a forecast by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) published on 19 April.

(with AFP)

EU calls for Russia dialogue to unlock Ukraine food exports

 The European Commission president on Tuesday called for talks with Moscow on unlocking wheat exports that are trapped in Ukraine as a result of a Russian sea blockade.

"The most important (thing) is to deblock the Black Sea. This is a call on Russia," Ursula von der Leyen told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

She said a food crisis was approaching at full speed and some sort of dialogue with Moscow was needed to unlock 20 million tons of wheat stuck in Ukraine.

"It cannot be in Russia's interest that, because of Russia, people are dying of hunger in the world," she said, adding that a solution to create food corridors needed to be found. 

"I think we should first of all look at the dialogue with Russia, whether there is not an agreement that this wheat gets out of Ukraine," von der Leyen said.

Russia and Ukraine together account for nearly a third of global wheat supplies, while Ukraine is also a major exporter of corn, barley, sunflower oil and rapeseed oil.

Von der Leyen said the European Union should also step up its own production, making it easier for farmers to have a second crop or to increase wheat production.

"Russia is now hoarding its own food exports as a form of blackmail – holding back supplies to increase global prices, or trading wheat in exchange for political support,” she told the WEF in Davos earlier. “This is using hunger and grain to wield power.”

Von der Leyen said that fragile countries and vulnerable populations suffer the most. She said bread prices in Lebanon increased by 70%, and food shipments from Odesa have been blocked from reaching Somalia.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week accused Russia of using food as a weapon by holding "hostage" supplies for not just Ukrainians, but also millions of people around the world. 

(with Reuters, AP)

Echoes of war crimes: a journey into the horrors of Bucha

More than 11,000 cases of war crimes allegedly committed by Russian soldiers against Ukrainian civilians have been registered by the Office of the General Prosecutor in Ukraine so far.

Euronews correspondent Valérie Gauriat witnesses the exhumation of civilian bodies near Kyiv, and hears their distraught relatives describe how their loved ones were murdered by Russian troops.

"I hope my short work will be a small contribution to their quest for truth and justice," says Valérie, whose documentary will be broadcast on Euronews soon.

Read more here:

Echoes of war crimes: a journey to the horrors of Bucha

Euronews correspondent Valérie Gauriat travelled to the outskirts of Kyiv, the scene of a massacre by retreating Russian soldiers. #UncoveringEurope

EU leaders should not discuss ban on Russian oil at summit, says Viktor Orbán

When EU leaders meet next week for a two-day summit they should not discuss the proposed EU-wide ban on Russian oil imports, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has said.

His request was included in a letter addressed to European Council President Charles Michel and seen by the Financial Times on Tuesday.

Hungary is the main hold-out preventing the approval of the radical measure, arguing it would wreak economic havoc and expose citizens and companies to price shocks. 

“Discussing the sanctions package at the level of leaders in the absence of a consensus would be counterproductive,” Orbán wrote in the letter. “It would only highlight our internal divisions without offering a realistic chance to resolve differences. Therefore, I propose not to address this issue at the next European Council.”

A new plan by the European Commission earmarks up to €2 billion to revamp oil systems but most of the money can only be accessed through Next Generation EU, the bloc’s pandemic recovery fund, which has been repurposed to cope with the costly effort to slash Russian fossil fuels.

Hungary’s national recovery plan has not yet been approved by Brussels due to long-standing concerns related to the rule of law. 

Reacting to the news, a EU official confirmed Michel had received Orbán’s letter and was consulting “all leaders” in preparation for next week’s extraordinary summit, whose agenda is expected to include energy, defence and the war in Ukraine.

Orbán’s words contrast with the optimistic assessments of German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who this week said a deal on the oil ban could be clinched within the next days. Unanimity is required to approve EU sanctions.

Russian court upholds nine-year prison sentence for Alexei Navalny

An appeals court in Russia has upheld a nine-year prison sentence for opposition politician Alexei Navalny.

The 45-year-old is currently serving a two-and-a-half-year prison term for violating parole on old fraud charges, and he had his jail time extended in March to nine years after he was found guilty of embezzlement and contempt of court.

Allies of Navalny -- who is a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin -- say the imprisonment is politically motivated.

Read more below:

Russian court upholds nine-year prison sentence for Alexei Navalny

France reassures Ukraine it will eventually be part of European Union

Ukraine will eventually be part of the European Union, France's Europe minister said on Tuesday, reassuring Kyiv that an initiative to forge closer ties between the bloc and aspiring members would not replace their bids to join.

French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this month suggested creating a "European political community" that would create a new structure allowing closer cooperation with countries seeking EU membership.

"I am convinced that Ukraine will be part of the European Union," Clement Beaune told reporters. "We know with honesty that it takes time and in this time we can't allow ourselves to simply wait. We have to nurture the European hope."

Beaune, who earlier this week said it could take 15-20 years for Ukraine to join added that the project "was not an alternative."

Speaking alongside Olga Stefanishyna, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, he said the next step would be to discuss the details of the initiative with European partners.

The aim is to create a community of countries who aspire to join the bloc or wish closer ties and adhere to the EU's core values in areas such as political cooperation, security, cooperation in energy, transport, investment of infrastructure or circulation of people.

The initiative has been received cautiously by some member states given the lack of details. Kyiv has also expressed its concern that it could be used as an alternative to membership.

The European Commission, the bloc's executive arm, will give its opinion on Ukraine's candidacy request in June, but even if approved the process takes several years and can be vetoed by a member state.

(Reuters)

Turkey should consider leaving NATO if necessary, says Erdogan ally

The leader of a Turkish nationalist party that is allied with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey should consider leaving NATO if “circumstances become inextricable” and Turkey is forced to approve Sweden and Finland membership.

Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Action Party, said in a speech on Tuesday that Turkey isn't without alternatives and could be part of a possible security alliance that could be made up of Turkic-speaking states and Muslim nations.

“Turkey is not without options. Turkey is not helpless. Leaving NATO should be put on the agenda as an alternative option if the circumstances become inextricable,” Bahceli said.

A delegation made up of officials from Sweden and Finland is expected to arrive in Turkey later today, according to Turkey's foreign minister, to discuss Ankara’s objection to their membership in NATO.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a group of journalists that the delegation would meet with Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin and Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal on Wednesday.

(Euronews / AP)

Russia can be reintegrated if it returns to democracy, rule of law, says von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says Russia can be reintegrated into the orbit of European nations if it finds its way back to “democracy, the rule of law, the respect for the international rules-based order.”

Von der Leyen spoke at the World Economic Forum’s annual gathering Tuesday. Insisting on the historical and cultural links between Europe and Russia, the head of the EU’s executive arm said reconciliation is “certainly a distant dream and hope.

"But this also says that our standing up against this brutal invasion is standing up against the leadership in Russia. It is the Russian people who are the ones who decide about the future of their country. They have it in their hands.”

(AP)

Russia orders detention of blogger, accusing him of disseminating false information

A Moscow court on Tuesday ordered the detention in absentia of Russian blogger Michaïl Nake, accusing him of discrediting the Russian army and its offensive in Ukraine.

Nake, who hosts a video blog on YouTube with more than 700,000 subscribers, is accused of having disseminated false information about the Russian armed forces, according to the Basmani court in Moscow, which ordered his detention, according to a post on his site.

The crime is now punishable by a prison term, under new Russian laws passed since the invasion of Ukraine on 24 February. In particular, it's forbidden to use the terms 'war' or 'invasion' in relation to the Russian offensive, or to accuse the army of war crimes.

(AFP)

Workers uncover 200 bodies in Mariupol

Workers digging through rubble found 200 bodies in Mariupol, Ukrainian authorities said Tuesday, another grim discovery in the ruined port city that has seen some of the worst suffering of the war. 

The bodies found in the basement of a collapsed apartment building were in a state of decomposition and a stench permeated the neighborhood, said Petro Andryushchenko, an adviser to the city's mayor.

Mariupol, which the Russians recently claimed full control over, has endured some of the worst suffering of the war, and became a worldwide symbol of defiance for the diehard defense put up for months by fighters at a steelworks.

The announcement of the discovery of the bodies came shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of waging “total war,” seeking to inflict as much death and destruction as possible on his country.

(AP) 

Jailed opposition leader Navalny attacks Putin in court

Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Tuesday lambasted President Vladimir Putin in a live court hearing, casting him as a madman who had started a "stupid war" in Ukraine based on lies.

"This is a stupid war which your Putin started," Navalny, 45, told an appeal court in Moscow via video link from a corrective penal colony. "This war was built on lies."

Navalny, by far Russia's most prominent opposition leader, was appealing against a nine-year jail sentence he was handed in March for fraud and contempt of court, on top of 2-1/2 years he is already serving. He denies all the charges against him and says they were fabricated to thwart his political ambitions.

Repeatedly interrupted by the judge, Navalny cast the prosecution's "facts" as "lies" – and compared them to the lies he said Putin, Russia's paramount leader since the last day of 1999, had used to begin the 24 February invasion of Ukraine.

"What do you want to achieve – do you want short-term control, to fight with future generations, fight for the future of Russia?" Navalny asked the court. "You will all suffer historic defeat."

Navalny said Putin's Russia was run by thieves and criminals who had become enemies of the Russian people.

"One madman has got his claws into Ukraine and I do not know what he wants to do with it – this crazy thief," Navalny said of Putin.

(Reuters)

Millions of barrels of Russian oil sitting in vessels at sea

Some 62 million barrels of Russia's flagship Urals crude oil, a record amount, are sitting in vessels at sea, data from energy analytics firm Vortexa showed, as traders struggled to find buyers for the crude.

The United States and other countries have banned imports of Russian crude and oil products over its invasion of Ukraine, and others have avoided acquiring cargoes out of fear of future sanctions. The European Commission is considering an embargo of Russian oil.

The volume of Urals crude oil on the water is triple the pre-war average, Vortexa said, even as Russian seaborne oil exports fell to 6.7 million barrels per day (bpd) so far in May, down about 15% from the 7.9 bpd in February.

"The headline numbers, showing Russian exports are still relatively strong, don't tell the full story," said Houston-based energy strategist Clay Seigle. "Russian oil at sea is continuing to accumulate."

The number of Urals cargoes at sea with no set destination is 15% of the total, also a new high, Seigle added. Some of the oil could be in transit to undisclosed buyers, while others could be unsold cargoes.

Most barrels of Russian crude oil have headed to Asia, mainly India and China, while volumes to Europe have also ticked up ahead of a ban.

(Reuters)

Russia not chasing deadlines to achieve goals, says official

Russian Security Council secretary Nikolai Patrushev said on Tuesday that Russia will achieve its objectives in Ukraine and is not "chasing deadlines", according to Reuters.

"All the goals set by the President will be fulfilled. It cannot be otherwise, because truth, including historical truth, is on our side," Patrushev said in an interview with the Russian Argumenty i Fakty newspaper.

"We are not chasing deadlines," he added.

Greens/EFA Group calls for ban on Russian lobbyists at the European Parliament

The Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament has sent a letter asking for the accreditation of Gazprom and other Russian state-affiliated entities to be revoked, to ensure that policy making at the European Parliament is protected from Russian influence.

“Given the political stalemate in the Council around the 6th round of sanctions, it is increasingly urgent that the Parliament revokes the access of Russian state-affiliated entities, such as Gazprom, Rusatom, Lukoil and others without delay,” wrote Green leaders Ska Keller and Philippe Lamberts.

They added that Gazprom currently has direct access to the European Parliament via regular accreditation on the EU Transparency Register, with an accredited lobbyist working in Brussels.

Russia may set up military base in Ukraine's Kherson region

The Russia-appointed administration of Ukraine's Kherson region will ask Moscow to set up a military base on its territory, Russia's RIA news agency quoted a local government official as saying on Tuesday.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February, seizing in particular the Kherson region which is adjacent to Crimea, the peninsula which Moscow has controlled since an earlier conflict in 2014.

It has installed a new administration there and started introducing the Russian rouble as a currency.

"There should be a Russian military base in the Kherson region," Kirill Stremousov, the deputy head of what Russia calls the "civil-military regional administration" of Kherson, told RIA.

"We will ask for this and this is what the whole population wants. This is essential and will be a guarantor of security for the region and its inhabitants."

The Kremlin calls the invasion a "special military operation" to disarm Ukraine and rid it of radical anti-Russian nationalists. Ukraine and its allies have dismissed that as a baseless pretext for the war, which has killed thousands of people in Ukraine and displaced millions.

(Reuters)

Ukrainian foreign minister urges faster weapons deliveries

Ukraine's minister of foreign affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, has stressed the need for faster deliveries of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, as the country continues its three-month long defence against Russian forces, and as fighting intensifies in the Donbas region. 

"[The] Russian offensive in the Donbas is a ruthless battle, the largest one on European soil since WWII," he wrote on Twitter. "I urge partners to speed up deliveries of weapons and ammunition, especially MLRS [multiple launch rocket systems], long-range artillery, APCs [armoured personnel carriers]."

Philippine President Duterte rebukes Putin over killings of innocent civilians in Ukraine

Outgoing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has sharply criticised Russian leader Vladimir Putin for the killings of innocent civilians in Ukraine. He said that while the two of them have been tagged as killers, “I kill criminals, I don’t kill children and the elderly.”

Duterte, who openly calls Putin an idol and a friend, voiced his rebuke for the first time over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in remarks aired Tuesday, where he blamed the three-month old war for the spike in global oil prices that has battered many countries, including the Philippines.

While stressing he was not condemning the Russian president, Duterte disagreed with Putin’s labelling of the invasion as a “special military operation,” and said it was really a full-scale war waged against “a sovereign nation.”

Addressing Putin “as a friend” and the Russian Embassy in Manila, Duterte urged them to stop bombing and firing artillery rounds on residential areas and allow innocent civilians to safely evacuate before launching a bombardment.

Duterte, who steps down on 30 June when his turbulent six-year term ends, has presided over a brutal anti-drugs crackdown that has left more than 6,000 mostly petty suspects dead.

(AP)

Russia seeks to encircle Severodonetsk, Lyschansk and Rubizhne, says British MoD

Russia has increased the intensity of its operations in the Donbas as it seeks to encircle Severodonetsk, Lyschansk, and Rubizhne, according to the latest intelligence update from the British Ministry of Defence.

At present, the northern and southern axes of this operation are separated by approximately 25 kilometres of Ukrainian-held territory, it said.

According to the ministry, there has been strong Ukrainian resistance, with forces occupying well dug-in defensive positions and Ukraine’s long-established Joint Force Operation likely retaining effective command and control. “Russia has, however, achieved some localised successes, due in part to concentrating artillery units,” it said, adding:

“Russia’s capture of the Severodonetsk pocket would see the whole of Luhansk Oblast placed under Russian occupation. While currently Russia’s main effort, this operation is only one part of Russia’s campaign to seize the Donbas. If the Donbas front line moves further west, this will extend Russian lines of communication and likely see its forces face further logistic resupply difficulties.”

EU likely to agree Russian oil embargo 'within days', says Germany

The EU will likely agree on an embargo on Russian oil imports "within days", its biggest member Germany has said, as Moscow said its economic ties with China would grow amid its isolation by the West over the Ukraine conflict.

Many of the EU's 27 member states are heavily reliant on Russian energy, prompting criticism from Kyiv that the bloc has not moved quickly enough to halt supplies.

Hungary is demanding energy investment before it agrees to an embargo, clashing with EU states pushing for swift approval. The EU has offered up to €2 billion to central and eastern nations lacking non-Russian supply.

"We will reach a breakthrough within days," Germany's economy minister, Robert Habeck, told broadcaster ZDF.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Kremlin would focus on developing ties with China as economic links with the United States and Europe were cut.

"If they (the West) want to offer something in terms of resuming relations, then we will seriously consider whether we will need it or not," he said in a speech, according to a transcript on the foreign ministry's website.

"Now that the West has taken a 'dictator's position', our economic ties with China will grow even faster," he said.

(Reuters)

Biden says crisis in Ukraine is a global issue

US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that the crisis in Ukraine was a global issue which heightened the importance of maintaining international order, territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Biden's comments delivered at the opening of the "Quad" meeting of Indo-Pacific leaders in Tokyo come a day after he broke with convention and volunteered US military support for Taiwan, the self-governed island claimed by China.

"This is more than just a European issue. It's a global issue," Biden said of the crisis in Ukraine at the Quad meeting of the United States, Japan, India and Australia.

Biden stressed Washington would stand with its allies and push for a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

"International law, human rights must always be defended regardless of where they're violated in the world," he said.

(Reuters)

Russia is waging “total war” on Ukraine, says President Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia is waging “total war” on his country, and that includes inflicting as many casualties and as much infrastructure destruction as possible.

Zelenskyy made the comments in his nightly address on Monday, on the eve of the three-month anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In it, he noted that since 24 February, the Russian army has launched 1,474 missile strikes on Ukraine, using 2,275 different missiles. He said the vast majority had hit civilian targets. There have been more than 3,000 Russian airstrikes over that period.

“Indeed, there has not been such a war on the European continent for 77 years,” he said.

Russians have now concentrated their forces on Donbas cities like Bakhmut, Popasnaya and Sievierodonetsk, Zelenskyy said.

He also called on Ukrainians who are not on the battlefield to help in whatever way they can, and said his own task was working to increase international pressure on Russia.

“The absolute priority is weapons and ammunition for Ukraine,” he added.

(Euronews / AP)

Western countries agree to send more advanced weaponry to Ukraine

Nearly 50 defence leaders from around the world met Monday and agreed to send more advanced weapons to Ukraine, including a Harpoon launcher and missiles to protect its coast, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters.

Speaking to Pentagon reporters, Austin declined to say if the US will send Ukraine high-tech mobile rocket launchers, which it has requested. But Austin said that some 20 nations announced Monday that they will send new packages of security assistance to Ukraine, as its war with Russia reaches the three-month mark.

In particular, he said that Denmark has agreed to send a Harpoon launcher and missiles to Ukraine to help Ukraine defend its coast. Russia has ships in the Black Sea and has used them to launch cruise missiles into Ukraine. The Russian ships have also stopped all commercial ship traffic from entering Ukraine ports.

“We’ve gained a sharper, shared sense of Ukraine’s priority requirements and the situation on the battlefield,” Austin told reporters at the close of the virtual meeting with the defence leaders. “Many countries are donating critically needed artillery ammunition, coastal defence systems and tanks and other armoured vehicles. Others came forward with new commitments for training.”

Austin added that the Czech Republic recently donated attack helicopters, tanks and rockets, and that Italy, Greece, Norway and Poland announced new donations Monday of artillery systems and ammunition.

“The nature of the fight, as you’ve heard us describe a number of times is ... really shaped by artillery in this phase,” said Austin. “And we’ve seen serious exchanges of artillery fires over the last several weeks.”

Austin said that during the virtual meeting, Ukraine officials made clear their security needs. And he said those are consistent with what has been identified in recent weeks — long-range artillery and rocket systems, armoured personnel carriers and drones.

(AP)