That's our Ukraine live blog coming to a close for Wednesday evening. 

We're back again early Thursday morning with all the latest developments. 

Ukrainian refugees bring new life to Spain's rural villages

Small abandoned villages in Spain’s depopulated regions have become home to mothers and children fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Read more in our story here:

Ukrainian refugees bring new life to Spain's rural villages

Ukraine praises EU, slams NATO for doing "absolutely nothing" 

Ukraine's diplomatic chief Dmytro Kouleba accused NATO on Wednesday of doing "absolutely nothing" about Russia's invasion of his country, but praised the European Union's "revolutionary decisions".

"We see Nato as an alliance, as an institution sidelined and doing absolutely nothing," Kouleba said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

He pointed out that at the start of the war launched on 24 February, NATO was seen by Ukrainians as "a power" and the EU as an institution that only "expressed concerns".

"But the war has taken the mask off," he said. 

"We have seen revolutionary decisions taken by the European Union, which they themselves did not expect to take," he said.

Ukraine's "Euro-Atlantic" aspirations are enshrined in the Constitution, but the authorities now present the country's accession to the European Union as a priority.

"It must be recognised" that Ukraine will not be able to join NATO, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on 15 March. "I am glad that our people are beginning to understand this and to rely only on their own strength". 

(AFP)

Turkey makes demands on Sweden and Finland

A senior Turkish official has insisted after talks with Swedish and Finnish officials that Turkey will not agree to the two Nordic countries joining NATO unless specific steps are taken to address Ankara’s objections.

“We have made it very clear that if Turkey’s security concerns are not met with concrete steps in a certain timeframe the process will not progress,” Ibrahim Kalin said after Wednesday’s talks in Ankara that lasted about five hours.

Kalin is the spokesman of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and a senior presidential aide.

Turkey has said it opposes the countries’ membership of NATO, citing grievances with their perceived support of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and other entities that Turkey views as security threats.

Kalin said Turkey’s proposal for the two countries to lift arms export limits was met with a “positive attitude” by the Swedish and Finnish delegations.

He added that talks would continue once the Nordic governments had responded to Turkey’s demands.

Turkey also expects the extradition of 28 “terrorism” suspects from Sweden and 12 from Finland, Kalin said.

Previously the Finnish foreign ministry had said that "it was agreed that the dialogue, conducted in a constructive spirit, will be continued." 

(Euronews / AP)

Ukraine and US criticize Russian passport plan 

The Ukrainian government denounced Wednesday a plan by Russia to grant passports to Ukrainians living in regions occupied by Russian troops, calling it a "flagrant violation" of its territorial integrity.

"The forced granting of passports to Ukrainians in Kherson and Zaporizhia is further proof of the criminal aim of Russia's war against Ukraine," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

According to the ministry, this goal is "the seizure of Ukrainian territories for their occupation and integration into the Russian legal, political and economic sphere".

The US also denounced the Russian plan, calling it an attempt to "subjugate" the population now under its control.

The plan is "a Russian tactic to subjugate the Ukrainian people - to impose their will by force," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a press briefing, adding that the US "would strongly reject" such a project.  

(Euronews / AFP)

UK calls on Russia to 'stop stealing' Ukraine grain

Britain's minister of defence called on Russia Wednesday to "stop stealing" cereals produced by Ukraine which are intended for export.

At the same time he ruled out lifting sanctions that Russia requested to avoid a global food crisis.

"I call on Russia to do the right thing in the spirit of humanity and let the grain out of Ukraine," Ben Wallace told a press conference in Madrid with his Spanish counterpart, Margarita Robles.

"Let's not talk about sanctions, let's talk about doing what is right for nations around the world," he added.

The British minister was referring to statements by a Russian deputy foreign minister, Andrei Roudenko, who on Wednesday demanded the lifting of sanctions against Moscow as a condition to avert the global food crisis that is emerging as a result of the conflict in Ukraine.

Renowned for its very fertile lands, Ukraine was before the Russian invasion the world's fourth largest corn exporter and on the way to becoming the third largest wheat exporter.

But the conflict has interrupted grain crops and trade, with Russia accused by Ukraine and its Western allies of preventing exports through the Black Sea, at the risk of causing a serious global food crisis.

"Many people around the world rely on these grains for food," said Wallace, recalling that part of the Ukrainian production went to countries already suffering from humanitarian crises, such as Yemen.

(AFP)

Belgian PM: EU sanctions on Russia should not hurt the middle class

Alexander De Croo told Euronews it's still 'too early' to talk about raising EU common debt to finance Ukraine's reconstruction.

Read more at our story here:

EU sanctions should not hurt the middle class, warns Belgian PM

Controversial Russian opera singer returns to the Paris stage

Anna Netrebko has previously been dropped by the New York Met for not condemning Putin's regime.

Read more at our story here:

Controversial Russian opera singer returns to the Paris stage

Finland, Sweden, Turkey to resume NATO roadblock talks

The Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs says officials will continue talks in Ankara with Swedish and Turkish counterparts. 

The discussions are taking place after Turkey's president said his country was not in favour of the two Nordic nations joining NATO. 

All NATO members must give their approval before any new countries can join the military alliance. Finland and Sweden applied last week, and are trying to convince Turkey to drop its objections over a weapons export ban, and alleged support in Stockholm and Helsinki for banned Kurdish opposition groups.

"It was agreed that the dialogue, conducted in a constructive spirit, will be continued," the Finns said in a statement. 

Ukraine FM criticises NATO, praises EU

Ukraine's diplomatic chief Dmytro Kuleba accused Nato on Wednesday of "doing absolutely nothing" about Russia's invasion of his country, but praised the European Union's "revolutionary decisions".

He told the World Economic Forum in Davos that NATO was "sidelined".

He pointed out that at the start of the war launched on 24 February, Nato was seen by Ukrainians as "a power" and the EU as an institution that only "expressed concerns".

"But the war has taken the mask off," he said. 

"We have seen revolutionary decisions taken by the European Union, which they themselves did not expect to take," he said.

Ukraine's authorities now present the country's accession to the European Union as a priority.

(AFP)

Pope greets Russian patriarch as policy criticised

Pope Francis has sent a protocol greeting to the head of the Russian Orthodox Church to mark Tuesday's feast day for St. Cyril, a saint important to both Catholics and Orthodox Christians.

It shows the Vatican is keen to maintain cordial relations amid Russia's war against Ukraine, which Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill supports.

“These days I pray to our Heavenly Father that the Holy Spirit will renew and strengthen us in the gospel ministry, especially in our efforts to protect the value and dignity of every human life,” Francis wrote. He also called for God’s “gift of wisdom.”

Kirill has justified the invasion on spiritual and ideological grounds, calling it a “metaphysical” battle with the West. He has blessed soldiers going into battle and invoked the idea that Russians and Ukrainians are one people.

Francis' three-sentence note to the Orthodox leader made no mention of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or even a generic appeal for peace. However, it was a protocol greeting marking a religious observance; Francis has, in his public remarks, frequently denounced the war and loss of life.

The Vatican worked for decades to improve relations that culminated in a historic meeting between Francis and Kirill in Havana in 2016.

The policy has come under increasing criticism from the head of the Polish bishops conference. Archbishop Stanislaw Gadecki returned from a visit to Ukraine this week and called for the Vatican to change its “naive and utopian” policy, saying it won't work in the long run.

Gadecki acknowledged that the tradition of Vatican diplomacy is to not call out aggressors, and to seek at all costs to maintain an open channel of dialogue in hope of nudging a peaceful resolution.

“But today, in the situation of war … it is most important that the Holy See supported Ukraine on all levels and was not directed by utopian thoughts,” he was quoted as saying.

(with AP)

Switzerland will help Ukraine seize ex-president's assets

The Swiss government on Wednesday said it will initiate proceedings to confiscate more than 100 million francs ($104 million) in assets of a close associate of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

Switzerland’s governing Federal Council said it is providing support to Ukraine as Kyiv is facing “certain difficulties” in its efforts to confiscate the money, which have been compounded by the current war. But it said the move is unrelated to sanctions imposed on Russia this year.

The government said the assets of Yanukovych associate Yuriy Ivanyushchenko and family members were frozen in Switzerland following the ouster of the Kremlin-friendly Yanukovych in 2014. A Swiss federal court will determine whether the assets can be confiscated and, if it agrees, they will be returned to Ukraine.

(AP)

Vladimir Putin visits soldiers in hospital for the first time

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited wounded Russian soldiers on Wednesday for the first time, three months after the start of the offensive against Ukraine. 

According to footage broadcast on Russian television, Putin, dressed in a white coat, spoke to several servicemen, asking about their hometowns and family situations. The soldiers were standing by their beds and their wounds were not visible.

Speaking to one soldier in blue and white striped pyjamas, the president said his nine-month-old son "will be proud of daddy". Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was also present.

Russian officials have been guarded about military casualties in Ukraine. The latest figures published on 25 March said 1351 Russian servicemen had been killed, and 3825 wounded.

Ukrainian and other Western sources say the figures are much higher in reality. 

(AFP)

Nike to suspend sales in Russia partner stores

The American sports equipment manufacturer Nike announced on Wednesday the suspension of its sales in partner shops in Russia and the interruption of all its partnerships with retailers in the country, two months after temporarily closing its own shops.

The Beaverton, Oregon-based company said the decision was due to "operational difficulties in Russia".

According to the Russian daily Vedomosti, Nike's distribution agreements with its two main commercial partners in Russia expire on Thursday, notably with the Inventive Retail Group (IRG), which manages the Up & Run chain of dedicated shops.

The equipment manufacturer "has taken the decision not to renew commercial agreements or to enter into new ones, including with our Up & Run franchisee," according to a message sent by Nike to AFP.

The company said its "operations remain suspended" in Russia but that it was continuing to pay its employees.

Nike's announcement means that the brand is suspending sales of its products in all dedicated shops, i.e. those that only carry its products.

"In the current situation, we cannot continue to support the operations of single-brand shops and will have to close them," an IRG spokeswoman told AFP.

According to its website, IRG operated 37 shops selling Nike products.

However, according to Vedomosti, it will still be possible to buy the American manufacturer's products through multi-brand stores, which buy from wholesalers.

When asked for confirmation, Nike did not immediately respond.

At the beginning of March, a few days after the start of the invasion of Ukraine, Nike announced the temporary closure of all its directly managed branches in Russia, some 116 stores. 

(AFP)

Kyiv asks for quick dispatch of new rocket launchers

Ukraine's weapons needs can be summed up in two acronyms: MLRS (multiple launch rocket systems) and ASAP (as soon as possible), foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba has said.

The situation in eastern Donbas, Kuleba said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, is "extremely bad". Rocket systems could help Ukrainian forces try to recapture places such as the southern city of Kherson.

This week, Kuleba, said he had about 10 bilateral meetings with other leaders whose countries possess such systems. “The response I get is, ‘Haven't the Americans given it to you already?’

“So this is the burden of being a leader. Everyone is looking at you. Washington has to keep the promise and provide us with multiple launch rocket systems as soon as possible. Others will follow.”

Elders call Russian invasion 'outrageous' and 'unjustifiable' in call for talks 

A group of eminent global statespersons known as 'The Elders' issued a new statement Wednesday about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, calling it "an outrageous, unjustifiable act, for which there must be accountability and justice." 

The group, including former UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, said that the people of Ukraine "have the right to defend their territory and independence." 

The group said they were "alarmed" that there had been a failure to de-escalate the conflict, and ending the war "based on dialogue must be the international community’s highest priority."

"Russia’s aggression is in part enabled by the long-term erosion of the rules-based order underpinning global peace and security.  Successive violations of international law and state sovereignty by great powers have been carried out with impunity, leading to a dangerously polarised world" the group said. 

The Elders describe themselves as an independent group of global leaders working together for peace, justice and human rights. It was founded by South Africa's former President Nelson Mandela. 

(Euronews) 

EU wants to confiscate frozen assets from Russian oligarchs

The European Union's executive arm entered sensitive legal territory on Wednesday with a proposal to confiscate the frozen assets of oligarchs who try to violate the bloc’s sanctions over Russia's war in Ukraine.

The European Commission proposed two EU laws that would require the 27 member states to cede a degree of jealously guarded national sovereignty over criminal matters.

One piece of draft legislation seeks new European rules on freezing and confiscating the assets of people blacklisted by the EU. The second legislative proposal aims to expand the list of acts deemed to be “EU crimes” by including breaches of European sanctions.

Both initiatives need the approval of EU governments in a scrutiny process that usually takes many months and can even last for years. The bloc’s heads of government are due to discuss options for using the frozen assets of sanctioned Russian oligarchs to support the reconstruction of Ukraine during a two-day summit next week.

“There is no time to lose,” Margaritis Schinas, a European Commission vice-president in charge of security matters, told reporters in Brussels. “Many times we see assets recovery and confiscation of the small fry, whereas the big sharks find ways to evade.”

While the EU has spent decades crafting common rules on various areas of criminal law, European sanctions against Russian leaders and oligarchs over the past three months have added impetus to calls for a stronger European framework.

The EU has imposed asset freezes and travel bans on more than 1,000 people, including over 30 oligarchs, in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February. 

Almost 10 billion euros of assets have so far been frozen by EU member countries, according to the European Commission. It has established a “Freeze and Seize” task force to coordinate the enforcement of what are unprecedented EU penalties against Russia.

(AP)

Fighting on the outskirts of Severodonetsk

A regional governor in eastern Ukraine has told the Associated Press that Russian forces are fighting on the outskirts of the city of Severodonetsk, and that a key supply route is coming under pressure.

Serhiy Haidai, the Kyiv-backed governor of the Luhansk region, says Ukrainian forces continue to hold Severodonetsk. But he said “the situation is serious. The city is constantly being shelled with every possible weapon in the enemy’s possession.”

Haidai added in written comments in response to questions from the AP that Russian forces were dropping aerial bombs and accused them of deliberately striking “places where people could be hiding.”

Severodonetsk and the nearby city of Lysychansk are the largest remaining settlements held by Ukraine in the Luhansk region, of which Haidai is the Kyiv-backed governor. The region is “more than 90%” controlled by Russia, he said.

The road between Lysychansk and the city of Bakhmut to the southwest is widely considered crucial to keeping Ukrainian troops in the area supplied. Haidai said it was “constantly being shelled” and that Russian sabotage and reconnaissance teams were approaching the area.

(AP)

Ukraine needs rockets asap, says foreign minister

Ukraine’s foreign minister says the urgency of his country’s weapons needs can be summed up in two abbreviations: MLRS — multiple launch rocket systems, and ASAP — as soon as possible.

Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Dmytro Kuleba said he had about 10 bilateral meetings with other leaders whose countries possess such systems.

“The response I get is, ‘Have the Americans given it to you already?’” he said, alluding to US leadership. “So this is the burden of being a leader. Everyone is looking at you. So Washington has to keep the promise and provide us with multiple launch rocket systems as soon as possible. Others will follow.”

“If we do not get an MLRS ASAP, the situation in Donbas will get even worse than it is now,” he added. “Every day of someone sitting in Washington, Berlin, Paris and other capitals, and considering whether they should or should not do something, costs us lives and territories.”

(AP)

Putin pushes to fast-track Russian citizenship for people from two southern regions of Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued an order to allow a fast track to Russian citizenship for people in two southern regions of Ukraine which are largely held by Russian forces.

Putin’s decree, dated Wednesday, could allow Russia to strengthen its control over the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. They form part of a land connection between eastern Ukraine and the Crimean peninsula.

Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin last week visited both regions and indicated they could become part of “our Russian family.” A Russia-installed official in the Kherson region has predicted the region could become part of Russia.

Russia already had a program for fast-track naturalisation of people living in two regions of eastern Ukraine claimed by Russia-backed separatists.

(AP)

Hungary proposes removing Russian oil embargo from EU agenda

European Union efforts to impose an embargo on Russian oil faced more roadblocks Wednesday as Hungarian officials said they would not back the plan in its current form, and recommended removing the topic from the agenda of an EU leaders' summit next week.

The EU has worked to forge a consensus among its 27 member nations for cutting off Russian oil by the end of 2022, to block a key source of revenue financing Russia’s war in Ukraine.

While some countries in central and Eastern Europe initially expressed reservations over the embargo, Hungary remains the most vocal member nation blocking the measure, which is part of a sixth proposed round of EU sanctions against Russia.

During a news conference in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Wednesday that Hungary would not vote in favour of the oil embargo proposal "as long as it makes Hungary’s energy supply impossible.”

He blamed the EU's executive branch for pushing the plan without ensuring the energy security of Hungary, which gets 85% of its natural gas and more than 60% of its oil from Russia.

“This problem was created by the European Commission, so the solution must be offered by the European Commission. The solution must come first, and only then can we talk about sanctions,” Szijjarto said.

While the EU earlier offered exceptions to landlocked countries like Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic that are particularly dependent on Russian oil, granting them extended timelines for the phase-out, the government in Budapest has remained steadfast in its opposition to sanctions on Russian energy.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is considered Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest EU ally, has argued that an EU oil boycott would be an “atomic bomb” for Hungary's economy and destroy its “stable energy supply.”

(AP)

Russian parliament passes bill scrapping age limit for joining military

Russian lawmakers on Wednesday passed a bill removing age limits for professional soldiers joining the military, which could pave the way for the Russian armed forces to expand recruitment.

The lower house of the Russian parliament passed the bill in all three readings Wednesday to scrap an age limit of 40 for Russians signing their first voluntary military contracts, according to the Associated Press.

The chair of the parliament’s defence committee, Andrei Kartapolov, said the measure would make it easier to hire people with “in-demand specialisms”, with a description of the bill on the parliamentary website indicating that older recruits could be suited to operating precision weapons or serving in engineering or medical roles.

In recent years the Russian military has increasingly relied on volunteers. All Russian men aged 18-27 must undergo one-year compulsory military service, though many avoid the draft through college deferments and other exemptions.

Russian authorities have said that only volunteer contract soldiers are being sent to fight in Ukraine, though they have acknowledged that some conscripts were drawn into the fighting by mistake in the early stages of the conflict.

(Euronews / AP)

EU cracks widen as Italy, Hungary 'urge truce' — Reuters

Italy and Hungary have urged the EU to call explicitly for a ceasefire in Ukraine and peace talks with Russia, putting themselves at odds with other member states determined to take a hard line with Moscow.

A draft concluding statement for a May 30-31 summit, seen by Reuters and dated May 19, describes the European Union as "unwavering in its commitment to help Ukraine exercise its inherent right of self-defence against the Russian aggression." It does not mention peace talks.

At a meeting of EU envoys on Friday, Italy's ambassador proposed changes to the text saying it should refer to peace talks and set out an immediate ceasefire as one of the EU's first goals, according to people who attended the meeting.

That proposal was backed by Hungary and Cyprus, which are among the states most critical of a stalled new package of EU sanctions against Russia. Hungary opposes a planned oil embargo, while Cyprus has concerns about a proposed ban on property sales to Russian citizens.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in a speech at the Davos forum on Tuesday, took a hawkish stand on Russia and made no mention of peace talks.

"Ukraine must win this war, and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's aggression must be a strategic failure," she said.

The latest draft of the summit conclusions says the EU "remains committed to bolstering the ability of Ukraine to defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty."

Baltic countries and Poland are among the strongest supporters of a hard line, and Latvia has urged even more explicit wording for increased military support, diplomats said.

A revised draft is due later on Wednesday after a meeting of EU envoys, one diplomat said.

Italy last week proposed a peace plan that would involve the United Nations, the EU and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe as facilitators to initially arrange localised ceasefires.

(Reuters)

Mariupol port now fully operational, says Russian official

The Russian military says the key Ukrainian port of Mariupol is functioning again after three months of fighting.

Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said Wednesday that the military had finished clearing the port of mines and it is now fully operational.

The Russian forces took control of Mariupol, the strategic port on the Sea of Azov, after the last Ukrainian defenders at the giant Azovstal seaside steel plant laid down their weapons.

(AP)

At least six dead in latest Russian shelling in eastern Ukraine

A regional governor in eastern Ukraine says at least six civilians have been killed by the latest Russian shelling.

Luhansk region Gov. Serhiy Haidai said Wednesday that another eight people were wounded in the shelling of the town of Sievierodonetsk over the previous 24 hours.

Sievierodonetsk is at the epicentre of fighting in Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland of Donbas, where Russian forces have been pressing their offensive despite stiff Ukrainian resistance.

Haidai accused the Russians of deliberately targeting shelters where civilians were hiding.

(AP)

Overland routes unlikely to be solution to Ukrainian grain worries, says British MoD

The British Ministry of Defence has also highlighted the issue of Ukrainian grain exports in the face of Russian blockades of its ports.  

“There has been no significant merchant shipping activity in or out of Odessa since the start of the war. Russia's subsequent naval blockade of key Black Sea ports has deterred the commercial shipping industry from operating in the area,” the ministry said in its latest Intelligence Update on the war in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s overland export mechanisms “are highly unlikely to substitute for the shortfall in shipping capacity caused by the Russian blockade,” it said. “As a result, significant supplies of Ukrainian grain remain in storage unable to be exported.”

The resulting supply shortfalls will further increase the global price of many staple products, it added.

Swedish, Finnish delegates in Ankara to try to overcome Turkish objections to NATO membership

Delegations from Sweden and Finland are scheduled Wednesday to hold talks in Ankara with senior Turkish officials, aiming to overcome Turkey’s objections to their historic bids to join NATO.

Sweden and Finland submitted their written applications to join the alliance last week in a move that marks one of the biggest geopolitical ramifications of Russia’s war in Ukraine — and which could rewrite Europe’s security map.

Turkey has said it opposes the two Nordic countries’ membership in the military alliance. It cites grievances with Sweden’s — and a to a lesser extent Finland’s — perceived support to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, and other entities that Turkey views as a security threat. It also accuses the two of imposing arms exports restrictions on Turkey and refusing to extradite suspected “terrorists.”

Turkey’s objections have dampened Stockholm’s and Helsinki’s hopes for quick NATO membership amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and puts the trans-Atlantic alliance’s credibility at stake. All 30 NATO members must agree to admit new members.

(AP)

Russia left Sweden and Finland no choice but to join NATO, says German foreign minister

Germany’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, says Russia left Sweden and Finland “no choice” but to join NATO, while adding that Germany would support the two countries’ membership, calling it “a real gain” for the military alliance.

Baerbock spoke late Tuesday ahead of her visit to Norway for a meeting of the Council of the Baltic Sea States.

Baerbock also said that Germany will use its presidency of the group, which starts in July, to promote the use of offshore wind power in the Baltic, in order to help the countries wean themselves off of Russian energy imports.

(Euronews / AP)

Russia ready to set up corridor for ships carrying food to leave Ukraine, says official

Russia is ready to provide a humanitarian corridor for vessels carrying food to leave Ukraine, the Moscow-headquartered Interfax news agency cited Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko as saying on Wednesday.

The statement comes amid growing concerns over Ukraine's agricultural exports. The country was the world's fourth-largest grain exporter last season, shipping staples such as wheat and maize to Africa and the Middle East, as well as supplying half the grain procured by the UN's World Food Programme for emergency aid.

Russia will also discuss the possibility of holding a prisoner exchange with Ukraine once prisoners who surrendered have been convicted, Rudenko said.

Russian and separatist officials have previously said that some of those who surrendered should be put on trial for war crimes.

At the same time, he said that it was premature to establish a Russian military base in the Russian-controlled area of Ukraine's Kherson region.

(Euronews / Reuters)

Ukraine's Zelenskyy says he will only talk with Putin, not intermediators

Speaking to an audience at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that he was only willing to talk directly to Vladimir Putin, and not via intermediators.

He added that if the Russian President "understands reality" there was the possibility of finding a diplomatic way out of the conflict.

Zelenskyy also said that Ukraine would fight until it recovered all of its territory, adding that Moscow should withdraw its troops back to the lines in place before Russia began its invasion on 24 February.

"That might be a first step towards talks," he said, adding that Russia has been playing for time in its talks with Ukraine.

(Euronews / Reuters)

US set to close last avenue for Russia to pay its debts

The US will close the last avenue for Russia to pay its billions in debt back to international investors on Wednesday, making a Russian default on its debts for the first time since the Bolshevik Revolution all but inevitable.

The Treasury Department said in a notification that it does not plan to renew the license that allowed Russia to keep paying its debtholders through American banks.

Since the first rounds of sanctions, the US Treasury Department has given banks a license to process any dollar-denominated bond payments from Russia. That window expires at midnight 25 May.

There had already been signs that the Biden administration was unwilling to extend the deadline. At a press conference heading into the Group of Seven finance minister meetings in Koenigswinter, Germany, last week, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the window existed “to allow a period of time for an orderly transition to take place, and for investors to be able to sell securities.”

The Kremlin has been using JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup as its conduits to pay its obligations.

The Kremlin appears to have foreseen the likelihood that the US would not allow Russia to keep paying on its bonds. The Russian Finance Ministry prepaid two bonds on Friday that were due this month to get ahead of the 25 May deadline.

The next payments Russia will need to make on its debts are due on 23 June. 

Like other Russian debt, those bonds have a 30-day grace period — which would cause default by Russia to be declared by late July, barring the unlikely scenario that the Russia-Ukraine war would come to an end before then.

(AP)

Severodonetsk being erased from the face of the earth, says regional governor

The industrial city of Severodonetsk has become a key goal of recent fighting in the Donbas region of Ukraine.

Sergiy Gaidai, governor of the eastern region of Luhansk, said the city of Severodonetsk was being hammered by air strikes, rockets, artillery and mortars in a bid to solidify control over the province and move further into Ukraine.

"The situation is very difficult and unfortunately it is only getting worse," Gaidai said, describing what he termed a "full-scale offensive in all directions" in a video on Telegram. 

"The Russian army has decided to completely destroy Severodonetsk. They are simply erasing Severodonetsk from the face of the earth," he added.

Thousands of troops have been sent to capture Luhansk region, Gaidai said, adding that the bombardment of Severodonetsk was so intense it was too late for its 15,000 civilians to leave.

(AFP)

Fuel crisis for Ukrainian farmers

After making it through the spring planting season, sometimes with the help of bulletproof vests and helmets, Ukraine's farmers are facing another challenge – finding enough diesel for the harvest to come.

The war with Russia cut fuel supplies just as farmers stepped up work for the spring season and they have lost about 85% of their normal supplies since the conflict started on 24 February, farmers, fuel distributors and analysts say.

The total area planted with grain this spring is already expected to be up to 30% smaller than last year because of the fighting, and yields could drop too if farmers don't get fuel so they can apply chemicals and harvest crops at the right time.

Ukraine usually relies on Russia, Belarus and imports from elsewhere coming in by sea for most of its fuel. Last year more than 60% of its diesel came from Russia and Belarus, Ukrainian oil products consultancy A-95 estimates.

Now, Ukraine has been forced to embark on costly and complex ways to bring in fuel via land from neighbours such as Poland and Romania, though a lack of capacity and red tape has slowed these efforts, the Ukrainian Oil and Gas Association said.

Ukraine was the world's fourth-largest grain exporter last season, shipping staples such as wheat and maize to Africa and the Middle East, as well as supplying half the grain procured by the UN's World Food Programme for emergency aid.

Between January and June 2021, Ukraine exported 45 million tonnes of grain. It had been expected to ramp that up to 65 million after a record harvest late last year but the war has left some 21 million tonnes stranded in silos across territory it controls as the 2021/22 season comes to an end next month.

(Euronews / Reuters)

Documenting war crimes in Ukraine: Survivors describe the horrors

Behind the destroyed walls of the cities of Ukraine lie hundreds of tales of torture, mass rapes, and murder of civilians.

After covering the first weeks of the war, Euronews international reporter Valérie Gauriat has travelled back to the country, in the aftermath of the Russian occupation of the region of Kyiv.

Amid the ruins and desolation on the outskirts of the capital, she documented alleged war crimes committed by Russian troops in Bucha, Irpin, Borodianka, Makariv, and Andriivka.

Watch her exclusive report below.

War crimes in Ukraine: Survivors describe horrors outside of Kyiv

Russia moves to take over operations of foreign firms that left over the war

Russian parliament gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a bill that would allow the government to appoint new management of foreign companies that pulled out of Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.

According to the state news agency TASS, the new law would transfer control over companies that left Russia not for economic reasons but because of “anti-Russian sentiment in Europe and the US". Tass said foreign owners would still be able to resume operations in Russia or sell their shares.

Many foreign companies have suspended operations in Russia. Others have walked away entirely, despite their huge investments.

McDonald’s announced this month that it is selling its 850 restaurants in Russia.

The State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament, approved the bill in the first of three readings on Tuesday. After final approval, it would go to the upper house and then to President Vladimir Putin for his signature.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the new law made it even more imperative for foreign companies remaining in Russia to leave. “It’s the last chance to save not only your reputation but your property,” he said in a statement.

(AP)

Russia throwing everything it has at four cities in eastern Donbas, says Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is using everything at its disposal in the fight for four cities in the eastern Donbas region.

“The situation in the Donbas now is very difficult,” Zelenskyy said late Tuesday in his nightly address to the nation. “Practically the full might of the Russian army, whatever they have left, is being thrown at the offensive there. Liman, Popasna, Sievierodonetsk, Slaviansk – the occupiers want to destroy everything there.”

Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian army is fighting back, but “it will take time and a lot more effort by our people to overcome their advantage in the amount of equipment and weapons.”

He told Ukrainians they should be proud of having held off Russia for three months in a war that many in Russia and the West expected to last three days.

Zelenskyy appealed for even more weapons from the West to keep Ukraine in the fight including multiple-rocket launchers and tanks.

In addition, Zelenskyy mocked the statement made Tuesday by the Russian defense minister that Russia was deliberately slowing its offensive to allow residents of encircled cites time to evacuate.

(AP)