Ukraine-Russia war – live: Macron urges Xi to ‘bring Putin to his senses’ on nuclear weapons

France’s president Emmanuel Macron has urged his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to bring Russia “back to its senses” over its war in Ukraine.

The conflict – and need to avoid a nuclear escalation – was notable on the agenda as Mr Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen visited Beijing, days after Moscow vowed to station part of its arsenal in Belarus. The United States has nuclear weapons stationed with several European Nato partners.

China’s leader agreed that all countries should abide by the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, with a French diplomatic source claiming that Mr Macron and Mr Xi had agreed to “work hard” to bring both parties to the negotiating table.

Meanwhile, Britain’s Ministry of Defence said it believed that Vladimir Putin has fired Colonel-General Rustam Muradov as commander of the Eastern Group of Forces (EGF) in Ukraine, marking the most senior Russian military dismissal of 2023 so far.

The group has “suffered exceptionally heavy casualties in recent months as its poorly conceived assaults repeatedly failed to capture” the Donetsk town of Vuhledar, the ministry said.

Key Points

• Macron urges Xi to ‘bring Putin to his senses’ on war and nuclear threats ...

• ... As Chinese president says all countries should respect nuclear non-proliferation

• Putin claims West helped Kyiv mount acts of ‘terror and sabotage’

• Bakhmut epicentre of fight with ‘no let-up’, 20 attacks repelled

• Putin responsible for Finland’s ‘historic’ accession to Nato, says alliance chief

• Paranoid Putin stays in bunker because he 'fears for his life', says ex-security guard

Macron urges Xi to ‘bring Putin to his senses’ on war and nuclear threats

15:06 , Andy Gregory

Emmanuel Macron has urged Xi Jinping to bring Russia “to its senses”, during a visit to Beijing, which is claimed to have seen the two presidents agree to ‘work hard’ to end the war in Ukraine.

Referring to the UN Charter on respecting countries’ sovereignty and an international nuclear weapons treaty, the French president said: “I know I can count on you, under the two principles I just mentioned, to bring Russia to its senses and bring everyone back to the negotiating table.”

Mr Xi responded that China was willing to “jointly appeal with France to the international community to remain rational and calm”, adding: “Peace talks should be resumed as soon as possible, taking into account the reasonable security concerns of all sides with reference to the UN Charter … seeking political resolution and constructing a balanced, effective and sustainable European security framework.”

A French diplomatic source did not say whether China had indicated any change in its position during the 90-minute meeting, but told Reuters that “the President and Xi agreed to ‘work hard’ in order to accelerate the end of the war and to obtain that a negotiation opens in the full respect of international law”.

Russian refusal to give consular access to detained reporter is ‘inexcusable’

21:17 , Emily Atkinson

Russia’s refusal to give consular access to detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is “inexcusable,” the White House said on Thursday.

“We need to get consular access to Evan,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

Watch: Putin stands 60ft away from crowd during speech

20:00 , Emily Atkinson

Ukraine sends conflicting signals on Crimea talks idea

19:30 , Emily Atkinson

A top Ukrainian official has ruled out talks with Moscow about territory until it withdraws all troops, pushing back on a colleague who had touted the idea of negotiations to resolve the Russian occupation of the Crimean peninsula.

Andriy Sybiha, deputy head of president Volodymyr Zelensky’s office, told the Financial Times on Wednesday that Kyiv would be willing to discuss the future of Crimea with Moscow if Ukraine‘s counter-offensive reaches the peninsula.

Russia occupied Ukraine‘s Crimean peninsula in 2014, long before it launched its full-scale invasion in Feb. 2022. It has a huge concentration of forces on the Black Sea territory.

Ukraine, which has vowed to recapture all lost land, plans to launch a counter-offensive in the coming weeks or months to try to wrest back territory in the east and south.

But on Thursday, Mykhailo Podolyak, a presidential adviser, appeared to directly contradict Sybiha’s remarks on Twitter.

“The basis for real negotiations with (Russia) is the complete withdrawal of Russian armed groups beyond the internationally recognised borders of Ukraine in 1991. Including #Crimea,” he said.

“There is no question of any territorial concessions or bargaining of our sovereign rights.”

Russia says seven civilians killed in Ukraine shelling attacks

19:00 , Emily Atkinson

Authorities in Russian-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine said a total of seven civilians were killed on Thursday in two separate Ukrainian artillery strikes, Russian news agencies said.

Four civilians died in Donetsk when shells hit a car park, and another six people were injured, Tass said. RIA later said three people died in blasts at a bus stop in Lysychansk, some 120 km (75 miles) to the northeast of Donetsk.

Donetsk, capital of the Ukrainian province of the same name, has been controlled by Russian proxy forces since 2014, but remains close to the front line of Russia’s war with Ukraine and regularly comes under fire from Ukrainian forces.

The Independent was not immediately able to verify reports.

Russia says deputy foreign minister discussed jailed WSJ reporter

18:30 , Emily Atkinson

Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov discussed the case of jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich with the US ambassador to Russia on Thursday, the foreign ministry said, according to the state-run news agency TASS.

Ryabkov repeated the ministry’s position that the question of US consular access to Gershkovich case would be handled according to established procedure.

Gershkovich was charged with espionage last week after being detained in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, and remanded in custody for two months.

The US government and the Wall Street Journal have denied that he was engaged in spying.

What we know about the arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in Russia

18:00 , Emily Atkinson

American journalist Evan Gershkovich, a 31-year-old reporter for The Wall Street Journal, has been arrested and detained in Russia on suspicion of espionage, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The son of Jewish immigrants from the Soviet Union who grew up speaking Russian at home in Princeton, New Jersey, Gershkovich graduated from the prestigious Bowdoin College in Maine before embarking on a career in the media, firstly at The New York Times, then The Moscow Times and then Agence France-Presse before joining WSJ, where he began covering Russian affairs just a month before the invasion of Ukraine last year.

Joe Sommerlad reports:

What we know about arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in Russia

Xi agreed to speak to Zelensky when ‘time is right’, says von der Leyen

17:22 , Andy Gregory

China’s Xi Jinping expressed willingness to speak to Volodymyr Zelensky, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has claimed, after their meeting in Beijing.

“It was interesting to hear that President Xi reiterated his willingness to speak” to the Ukrainian president, Ms Von der Leyen said, calling his words “positive”.

She added that Mr Xi had told her a conversation with Mr Zelensky could happen when the “conditions and time are right”.

Four civilians ‘killed in artillery strike’ on Donetsk city

16:55 , Andy Gregory

Four civilians have been killed in an artillery strike in the Russian-held city of Donetsk, Russia’s state-owned RIA news agency has said, citing a reporter on the scene.

RIA said a car park in the city’s Kalininsky district had been hit. The city has been controlled by Ukrainian separatist forces since 2014, but remains close to the front line of Russia's war with Ukraine and regularly comes under fire from Ukrainian forces.

Kremlin voices possibility of Russian security guarantees for Belarus

16:18 , Andy Gregory

Russia should consider providing security guarantees for Belarus, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said, according to the Interfax news agency.

“The Russian Federation, of course, should consider the possibility of providing security guarantees for Belarus as an ally and as a country with which we are in the most advanced form of integration,” Mr Peskov told reporters, as he answered questions on president Alexander Lukashenko’s visit to Moscow.

Putin and Lukashenko ‘did not discuss' moving nuclear weapons to Belarus in today’s talks

15:59 , Andy Gregory

Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko did not discuss plans to place Russian strategic nuclear weapons in Belarus in their talks on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

“I can’t tell you to what extent this was discussed in yesterday’s conversation. The conversation was really very long, it went well after midnight. But today there was no talk of this,” Mr Peskov told reporters, according to the Interfax news agency.

The plans mark the first time Russia has said it would station nuclear weapons on the territory of another country since the end of the Cold War three decades ago.

Mr Peskov said the deployment of American nuclear weapons at bases in Europe is of concern to the Russian Federation, adding that Russia would respond “appropriately” to these challenges.

Lukashenko threatens that ‘ if necessary’ Belarus and Russia will ‘use all we have to protect our countries’

14:29 , Andy Gregory

On the second day of the Belarusian president’s visit to Moscow, Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko discussed expanding their economic cooperation and boosting their defence links, which include a plan to station Russia’s nuclear weapons in Belarus.

In opening remarks at Thursday’s talks at the Kremlin, which involved senior officials, following Wednesday’s one-on-one meeting between the two presidents, Mr Lukashenko warned that “if necessary, we will use all we have to protect our countries and peoples.”

“We aren’t blackmailing anyone. It will be so,” he added.

The Belarusian leader cited the importance of close cooperation on defence and asserted that Belarusian factories have developed the expertise to replace Western companies as a source of electronic components for Russian weapons.

“We oriented ourselves toward the West in the past, but now we have come to realise that they aren’t our friends and we need to produce all that ourselves,” Mr Lukashenko said.

Von der Leyen says she encouraged Xi to contact Zelensky

14:20 , Andy Gregory

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has said that she encouraged China’s Xi Jinping to reach out to Volodymyr Zelensky, during their talks as part of her visit to Beijing.

Ms Von der Leyen was responding to a question from reporters on whether it was realistic that China might pressure Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.

Full report: Macron tells Xi world is counting on China ‘to bring Russia to reason’

13:28 , Andy Gregory

French president Emmanuel Macron has said he can “count on China” to reason with Russia and bring everyone to the negotiating table, after a meeting between the two leaders in Beijing.

“The Russian aggression in Ukraine has dealt a blow to (international) stability,” Mr Macron told Chinese president Xi Jinping. “I know I can count on you to bring back Russia to reason and everyone back to the negotiating table,” he said.

The French president is currently on a three-day joint trip to Beijing, accompanied by Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission.

My colleague Stuti Mishra has the full report:

Macron tells Xi world is counting on China ‘to bring Russia to reason’

Wagner chief says no sign Ukraine leaving Bakhmut

12:59 , Andy Gregory

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Russia’s private Wagner militia, has warned that Ukrainian forces are not abandoning the city of Bakhmut and that his army needed more support from Moscow before trying to advance further.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has raised the prospect of a withdrawal from the city, saying on Wednesday that Kyiv would take the “corresponding” decisions if its forces risked being encircled by Russian troops.

Wagner forces are leading the battle for the city, which has become the bloodiest of the 13-month war, and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has said its capture would open up the battlefield and allow Russia to advance further into eastern Ukraine.

But Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has accused Russian military chiefs of ineffectiveness bordering on treason in recent months, said this was still some way off. “It must be said clearly that the enemy is not going anywhere,” he said on his Telegram channel.

Ukrainian troops had organised staunch defences inside the city, particularly along railway lines and in high-rise buildings in the west of the city, and if they fell back would take up new positions in the outskirts and in Chasiv Yar to the west, he said. “That’s why, in my opinion, there’s no talk for now of any offensive.”

Eyes turn to Crimea as Ukraine plans counter-offensive

12:30 , Andy Gregory

Dmitry Suslov, an adviser to Vladimir Putin has said that Ukraine’s looming counter-offensive is likely to focus on the Sea of Azov and cutting off the illegally annexed peninsula of Crimea.

“If the Kiev offensive fails, the West will be short of weapons and at that point Russia will be able to mobilise 400,000 men for the final attack,” the Russian presidential aide told Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper.

In comments that seemed to confirm the importance of Crimea in any Ukrainian counter-offensive, an adviser to Volodymyr Zelensky told the Financial Times that Kyiv would be willing to discuss the future of the Black Sea peninsula if its forces reached the boundary of Crimea.

“If we will succeed in achieving our strategic goals on the battlefield and when we will be on the administrative border with Crimea, we are ready to open [a] diplomatic page to discuss this issue,” Andriy Sybiha said.

State actor involvement in Nord Stream blasts is ‘absolute main scenario’, prosecutor says

11:59 , Andy Gregory

The “absolute main scenario” in the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines is that a state actor was involved, the Swedish prosecutor investigating the explosions has said.

The blast in the Swedish zone occurred at a depth of 80 meters, which the Swedish prosecutor said made it complicated to investigate.

“We believe it will be rather difficult to determine who did this,” prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist told Reuters, pointing to the fact that the blast in the Swedish zone of the Baltic Sea occurred 80 metres below sea level.

“The people who did this have probably been aware that they would leave clues behind and probably took care so that the evidence would not point in one direction, but in several directions,” he added. “That makes it difficult to clearly point to one actor.”

Xi Jinping says all countries should respect nuclear non-proliferation

11:27 , Andy Gregory

China’s president Xi Jinping has urged all countries to respect international agreements on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, as he met with France’s Emmanuel Macron in Beijing.

China, France, Russia, the UK and the US have all made commitments under the United Nations treaty which aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, established in 1970.

Russia’s defence minister Sergei Ryabkov was reported as saying on Tuesday that suspending participation in the New START nuclear arms control treaty with the United States had given Moscow new opportunities to guarantee its security.

Meeting on Thursday, Mr Xi and Mr Macron both agreed that nuclear weapons should not be used in the war in Ukraine, as the French president urged his Chinese counterpart to bring Russia “back to reason”.

The UN treaty demands that all signatories should pursue negotiations in good faith on disarmament measures, and that states which do not have nuclear weapons should not acquire them.

Russia has announced plans to station nuclear weapons in neighbouring Belarus, a move the Kremlin claimed on Tuesday was in response to a growing Nato presence on its borders, after Finland joined the military alliance.

Watch: Smoke pours from fire at Russian defence ministry in Moscow

10:56 , Andy Gregory

Here is footage of the fire which broke out at the Moscow headquarters of Russia's defence ministry yesterday evening. The blaze was put out shortly after it started with no casualties, the TASS news agency reported.

Nuclear deployment to Belarus is response to Nato expansion, claims Kremlin

10:27 , Andy Gregory

Russia has defended its decision to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, rejecting criticism of the move by Nato’s secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday that Nato was the one expanding towards Russia, not the other way round, and therefore Moscow had to take steps to defend its own security.

Macron says he 'can count on China to bring Russia back to reason’

10:08 , Andy Gregory

French president Emmanuel Macron has told China’s president Xi Jinping that he knows he can count on Beijing to reason with Russia and bring everyone back to the negotiating table.

“The Russian aggression in Ukraine has dealt a blow to [international] stability,” Mr Macron told Mr Xi during a state visit to China. “I know I can count on you to bring back Russia to reason and everyone back to the negotiating table.”

Hungary says relations with Sweden are at a low point, as it holds up Nato bid

09:46 , Andy Gregory

Relations between Sweden and Hungary are at a low point, Viktor Orban’s chief of staff has said, calling on Stockholm to take steps to boost confidence.

Finland and its neighbour Sweden applied together last year to join Nato, but Sweden’s application has been held up by Turkey and Hungary. Hungary cites grievances over Swedish criticism of Mr Orban’s record on democracy and rule of law.

Gergely Gulyas told reporters that it is not good if disputes between countries are imported into Nato, local media reported.

Russian media mocks Trump over arrest days after he defended Putin: ‘We’re getting lots of popcorn!’

09:22 , Andy Gregory

Donald Trump’s indictment in New York City has been met with ridicule by state TV in Russia, where hosts have enjoyed themselves by showcasing artwork depicting the former president wearing an orange prison jumpsuit and speculating about future jail time.

My colleague Joe Sommerlad has the full report:

Russian media mocks Trump over arrest: ‘We’re getting lots of popcorn!’

Swedish prosecutors temper expectations over Nord Stream blast

08:58 , Andy Gregory

It will likely be difficult to determine who blew up the Nord Stream pipelines, Sweden’s prosecution authority has warned.

Theexplosions at the pipelines connecting Russia and Germany occurred in the economic zones of Sweden and Denmark on 26 September. The blast in the Swedish zone happened at a depth of 80 meters and the prosecutor stressed that investigating it was complicated.

“Our hope is to be able to confirm who has committed this crime, but it should be noted that it likely will be difficult given the circumstances,” prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist said in a statement. “We are working unconditionally and turning over every stone and leaving nothing to chance,” he added.

While no conclusion has been drawn there have been a number of theories as to who blew up the pipelines and how. Germany has confirmed its investigators raided a ship in January

that may have been used to transport the explosives used to blow up the pipelines. German media reported that the boat could have been used by a Ukrainian or pro-Ukrainian group.

“There is a variety of information and reports about the sabotage against the gas pipes. The incident has obviously become an open arena for different influence attempts,” Mr Ljungqvist said in the statement.

“These speculations do not have an impact on the ongoing investigation, which is grounded in facts and the information which has emerged from analyses, crime scene investigations and collaboration with authorities in Sweden and other countries.”

Here is the latest in politics surrounding the Ukraine war

08:36 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

* Any Chinese supply of lethal aid to Russia for the war in Ukraine would be a “historic mistake with profound implications”, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.

* French President Macron said earlier in Beijing it was not in China’s interest to send weapons to Russia. China says it has no such plans and condemns Western arms supplies to Ukraine.

* The United States, Britain, Albania and Malta walked out on Russia‘s envoy for children’s rights - whom the International Criminal Court wants to arrest on war crimes charges - as she spoke by video to U.N. Security Council members.

* Russian President Putin told the new US and EU ambassadors in blunt language that their countries were responsible for a dramatic deterioration in relations since Russia sent its armed forces into Ukraine last year.

* Putin welcomed Belarus counterpart Alexander Lukashenko to Moscow for two days of talks, but in opening public remarks both men steered clear of the war in Ukraine.

* U.S. President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada called on Wednesday for the immediate release of a Wall Street Journal reporter arrested in Russia on spying charges.

Macron meets China's Li as EU leaders begin Beijing talks

07:48 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

French President Emmanuel Macron began a series of meetings with Chinese leaders in Beijing on Thursday on a visit with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen that could set a course for the bloc’s future relations with China after years of strained ties.

Newly-appointed Premier Li Qiang greeted Macron at the Great Hall of the People, a cavernous building west of Tiananmen Square commonly used for ceremonial events, ahead of a summit with President Xi Jinping due later in the day.

After his arrival late Wednesday, Macron said Europe must resist reducing trade and diplomatic ties with Beijing, which is at odds with the West over issues including Taiwan, sensitive technologies and China’s close ties with Russia.

European Commission President von der Leyen, on her first visit to China since taking office in 2019, has said Europe must “de-risk” its relations with Beijing, as China had shifted from an era of reform and opening to one of security and control.

During her tenure, Europe’s relations with China have soured, mainly because of tit-for-tat sanctions that stalled an investment pact in 2021 and Beijing’s refusal to condemn Russia over its invasion of Ukraine that has claimed thousands of lives since it started last year.

But emerging from years of sparse diplomatic activity as pandemic border controls largely shut the country off from the rest of the world, China is eager to ensure Europe does not follow what it sees as U.S.-led efforts to contain its rise.

For Macron’s visit at least, there are high expectations in Beijing.

“Macron’s visit is expected to produce concrete results in furthering economic and trade cooperation between China and France, as well as to increase political mutual trust,” state media outlet Global Times wrote in an editorial on Thursday.

“It is worth noting that various forces in Europe and the U.S. are paying close attention to Macron’s visit and exerting influence in different directions,” the Global Times wrote. “In other words, not everyone wants to see Macron’s visit to China go smoothly and successfully.”

Russian girl who drew anti-war picture collected from orphanage by her mother

07:18 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A Russian girl who was sent to a children’s home after drawing an anti-war picture and the conviction of her father for discrediting the armed forces has been taken out of the orphanage by her mother.

Just hours before a court was due to hold hearing over the parental rights of the girl’s father, Russia‘s children’s rights commissioner said that she had spoken to the girl’s mother who had collected her from social care.

Her father, single parent Alexei Moskalyov, was convicted of discrediting the armed forces and given a two year jail term, leaving his daughter Maria, or Masha in the diminutive, in the hands of the state as her mother had not lived with the family for years.

Children’s Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova said she had spoken to the girl and to her mother, named Olga.

“Masha did not want to go to her mother at first, and her opinion is legally required to be taken into account. Now her position has changed – she told me this herself on the phone,” Lvova-Belova said.

“Olga has already taken Masha from the social rehabilitation center,” she said. “Let’s hope that everything will work out for mom and daughter.”

Lvova-Belova posted a picture of the girl and her mother together.

No Russians or Belarusians expected at swimming worlds in July

07:00 , Emily Atkinson

No Russian or Belarusian athletes are expected to compete at this year’s swimming world championships in Japan because the sport’s governing body isn’t expected to rule on their eligibility until it’s too late for them to enter.

World Aquatics said Wednesday it will create a task force to look at how Russia and Belarus could return to swimming, diving and water polo as neutral athletes. The update is expected in July, the same month of the world championships in Fukuoka.

Read more on this here:

No Russians, Belarusians expected at swimming worlds in July

Putin fires most senior commander of 2023 so far – MoD

06:26 , Arpan Rai

The Russian ministry of defence has highly likely fired Colonel-General Rustam Muradov as commander of the Eastern Group of Forces (EGF) in Ukraine, the British defence ministry said today.

“The EGF under Muradov has suffered exceptionally heavy casualties in recent months as its poorly conceived assaults repeatedly failed to capture the Donetsk Oblast town of Vuhledar,” the ministry said in its latest intelligence update.

It added that the operations led by commander Muradov “attracted intense public criticism from across the spectrum of Russian commentators - including Muradov’s own troops”.

“Muradov took over the EGF after its disastrous attempt to assault Kyiv from the north-west during the initial full-scale invasion,” the MoD said.

This is the most senior Russian military dismissal of 2023 so far, but more are likely as Russia continues to fail to achieve its objectives in the Donbas, it added.

ICYMI | Defecting Russian protection officer labels Vladimir Putin ‘war criminal’

06:00 , Emily Atkinson

Zelensky denies Russia’s hold over Bakhmut

05:52 , Arpan Rai

On the frontlines, Volodymyr Zelensky has said that while Ukrainian troops faced a difficult situation in the battle for Bakhmut, Russian forces do not control the salt-mining city.

The Ukrainian military would take “corresponding” decisions to protect them if they risked being encircled by Russian forces, Mr Zelensky said.

“We are in Bakhmut and the enemy does not control it,” the Ukrainian president said, refuting claims by Russian forces that they had captured the city, in ruins after enduring months of attritional warfare and bombardment.

“For me, the most important is not to lose our soldiers and of course if there is a moment of even hotter events and the danger we could lose our personnel because of encirclement - of course the corresponding correct decisions will be taken by generals there,” Mr Zelensky said, apparently referring to withdrawal.

One of the biggest and bloodiest grounds of battle between Russia and Ukraine in the 14-month long invasion, the Bakhmut city is one of the last urban centres yet to fall to Russia in eastern Donetsk province.

According to th eUkrainian military commanders, the importance of holding Bakhmut and other cities is paramount along with inflicting losses on Russian troops before an anticipated counter-offensive against them in the coming weeks or months.

“Bakhmut is performing the key task of inflicting as many losses on Russia as possible and, most importantly, to prepare for a counter-attack to take place in late April-May,” military analyst Pavel Narozhniy told NV Radio in Ukraine.

Ukraine saw 1,800 Russian attacks in March – official

05:33 , Arpan Rai

Ukraine witnessed 1,800 Russian attacks last month with more than 900 clashes seen between Ukrainian border guards and Russian forces, spokesperson for the state border guard service of Ukraine said.

The 900 clashes represent an 11 per cent increase compared to the month before, the spokesperson Andriy Demchenko told Ukrainian state news outlet Ukrinform yesterday.

Finland’s Nato membership poses ‘real dilemma’ for Putin, western officials warn

05:00 , Emily Atkinson

Finland’s new Nato membership poses a “real dilemma” for Russian President Vladimir Putin, western officials have warned.

The latest addition to the alliance will be able to make a “significant” contribution to its armament, officials said on Wednesday.

Finland, which has an 830-mile border with Russia, formally became the 31st member of the bloc in a ceremony at Nato’s Brussels headquarters on Tuesday.

More on this story here:

Finland’s Nato membership poses ‘real dilemma’ for Putin, western officials warn

Bakhmut situation can change with more military aid, says Zelensky

04:15 , Arpan Rai

Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the situation in the city of Bakhmut and other frontline cities depends on the speed and volume of military aid received from international partners, and not just the heroism on display by the Ukrainian military.

“The most difficult situation on the territory of our state is in Bakhmut. The greatest use of various weapons and artillery is there. There is a very, very difficult story,” he said during a meeting with reporters after talks with Polish president Andrzej Duda in Warsaw.

He added: “And there is a shortage every day: sometimes there is artillery and enough shells on our side, sometimes there are less of them. This happens every day. Sometimes there is success in some parts of Bakhmut, we go forward, then there is no success, and we retreat to our positions again. But we are in Bakhmut, and the enemy does not control the city. This is the situation as of today.”

“...The more and faster weapons and ammunition will arrive in Ukraine, the faster the armed forces will change the situation not only in Bakhmut, but also in other areas of the front on the territory of our country,” the war-time president said.

Latest images from the frontline in Ukraine

04:00 , Emily Atkinson

Ukraine will speak to Russia on Crimea if counteroffensive succeeds – official

03:55 , Arpan Rai

Ukraine is willing to speak with Russia about the future of Crimea if the forces sent by Kyiv reach the border of the Russia-held peninsula, a top official to Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

“If we will succeed in achieving our strategic goals on the battlefield and when we will be on the administrative border with Crimea, we are ready to open [a] diplomatic page to discuss this issue,” Andriy Sybiha, the deputy head of Mr Zelensky’s office, told FT.

“It doesn’t mean that we exclude the way of liberation [of Crimea] by our army,” the top adviser said.

After Crimea’s annexation in 2014 and since taking office in 2019, Mr Zelensky has ruled out peace talks on the disputed peninsula with the Russian forces along with all separatist territories, seeking that the soldiers deployed by Moscow leave all of Ukraine.

UN nuclear chief discusses Ukraine nuclear plant in Russia

03:00 , Emily Atkinson

The head of the UN’s atomic energy watchdog met with Russian officials in Kaliningrad on Wednesday for negotiations on the safety of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, currently held by Russian forces.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi’s trip to the Russian exclave came a week after he visited the plant, which is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.

“I met high level officials from several Russian agencies in Kaliningrad,” Grossi said on Twitter. “I continue my efforts to protect the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant,” he said, emphasizing that this was “in everyone’s interest.”

Read our full report here:

UN nuclear chief discusses Ukraine nuclear plant in Russia

Watch: Zelensky and wife welcomed with military honours to Poland

02:00 , Emily Atkinson

Ukraine and Poland ‘find solution to ease farmer anger’

01:00 , Emily Atkinson

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday he expected decisions to be announced in the coming days and weeks to alleviate anger among Polish farmers linked to Ukrainian grain imports.

He told reporters at a briefing standing alongside Poland’s prime minister that he had discussed the matter of Ukrainian and Polish farmers at talks in Warsaw on Wednesday and found a solution.

“We have found a way out, I believe that in the coming days and weeks we will finally resolve all issues as there cannot be any questions, any complications between such close partners and real friends as Poland and Ukraine,” he said.

Polish agriculture minister Henryk Kowalczyk resigned earlier on Wednesday amid rising anger among farmers over the impact of Ukrainian grain imports on prices.

Putin: West helped Ukraine mount acts of sabotage

Thursday 6 April 2023 00:00 , Emily Atkinson

Russian President Vladimir Putin charged Wednesday that Western intelligence agencies have helped Ukraine carry out acts of sabotage, as he urged his officials to mount a stronger response.

Putin spoke during a call with members of his Security Council that focused on efforts to shore up control of the four Ukrainian provinces that Russia claimed as part of its territory in September — a move that was rejected by most of the world as an illegal annexation.

“There are reasons to believe that the capabilities of third countries, Western special services, have been involved in preparation of acts of sabotage and terror attacks,” Putin said, without elaboration and without providing any evidence.

More from the Associated Press here:

Putin: West helped Ukraine mount acts of sabotage

Kyiv: Situation at front is completely under control

Wednesday 5 April 2023 23:00 , Emily Atkinson

The situation at the front is “completely under control” despite repeated Russian attempts to take Bakhmut and other cities in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv’s deputy defence minister Hanna Malyar has stated.

Malyar wrote on Telegram that Ukrainian soldiers were repelling dozens of attacks a day around Bakhmut, Lyman, Avdiivka and Marinka.

Russian media mocks Trump over arrest days after he defended Putin

Wednesday 5 April 2023 22:00 , Emily Atkinson

Donald Trump’s indictment in New York City has been met with ridicule by state TV in Russia, where hosts have enjoyed themselves by showcasing artwork depicting the former president wearing an orange prison jumpsuit and speculating about future jail time.

Mr Trump appeared at the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse on Tuesday afternoon to plead not guilty to 34 felony charges relating to the falsification of business records to conceal a series of hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels, Playboy model Karen McDougal and a former Trump Tower doorman on his behalf in exchange for their silence about his alleged extramarital affairs.

More on this from my colleague Joe Sommerlad here:

Russian media mocks Trump over arrest days after he defended Putin

Poland will help form coalition to supply warplanes to Ukraine - Zelensky

Wednesday 5 April 2023 21:00 , Emily Atkinson

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said during his trip to Warsaw today that Poland would help form a coalition of Western powers to supply warplanes to Ukraine, as it did with battle tanks.

The Ukrainian leader, in a speech on a square in Warsaw, said that Russia would not defeat Europe while Ukraine and Poland are standing “shoulder to shoulder”.

Putin claims West helped Kyiv mount acts of ‘terror and sabotage’

Wednesday 5 April 2023 20:06 , Emily Atkinson

Vladimir Putin has accused Western intelligence agencies of helping Ukraine carry out acts of “terror and sabotage” – but fell short of providing any evidence for his bold claim.

He made the remarks during a call with members of his Security Council that focused on efforts to shore up control of the four Ukrainian provinces that Russia claimed as part of its territory in September — a move that most of the world rejected as an illegal annexation.

“There are reasons to believe that the capabilities of third countries, Western special services, have been involved in preparation of acts of sabotage and terror attacks,” Putin said, without elaborating.

He said the four provinces have experienced Ukrainian shelling and acts of sabotage aimed at scaring the local population, and that Russian authorities must act “harshly and effectively to ensure control over the situation.”

Putin opens talks with Belarus leader

Wednesday 5 April 2023 19:30 , Emily Atkinson

Russian president Vladimir Putin welcomed Belarus counterpart Alexander Lukashenko to Moscow on Wednesday for two days of talks, but in their opening public remarks both men steered clear of the war in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last week the two leaders would discuss Lukashenko’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine. Last month Putin said Russia would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

“I must say that we have done a lot as a result of our joint work in all areas,” Putin told Lukashenko in comments broadcast by state television.

“We will discuss all of this tomorrow - this applies to our cooperation in the international arena and jointly solving questions of ensuring the security of our states.”

Moscow is Minsk’s closest political and financial backer. Lukashenko allowed Putin to use the territory of Belarus as a launch pad for the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Russia and Belarus are formally part of a Union State, a borderless union and alliance between the two former Soviet republics. Russia’s pre-war population was around 140 million compared to just 9 million for Belarus.

Russia has committed war crimes, says Polish president

Wednesday 5 April 2023 19:00 , Emily Atkinson

Russia has committed war crimes in Ukraine which must be punished, the Polish president said on Wednesday during a visit to Warsaw by his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.

“(Ukraine) could not be intimidated even though the targets of attacks are civilian facilities, hospitals, kindergartens.. these are war crimes that must be brought to justice and the criminals must be punished,” Andrzej Duda said.

ICYMI: Zelensky visit tightens bonds with Poland amid Russian war

Wednesday 5 April 2023 18:30 , Martha Mchardy

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky won new pledges of deeper cooperation on a state visit to Poland on Wednesday as the neighbours sought to forge a tighter relationship in defiance of Russia’s full-scale war against Kyiv that has reshaped international alliances.

Polish president Andrzej Duda said his country has provided four Soviet-designed MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine to help it beat back the Kremlin’s assault. Four more are in the process of being handed over and another six are being prepared, he said.

Zelensky said at a news conference with Duda that his government would “extend a hearty welcome” to Polish businesses seeking to help Ukraine’s postwar rebuilding, which the World Bank has estimated could cost $411 billion. He met later with prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki and said he would sign agreements on developing Ukrainian infrastructure.

Poland heaped military honours and praise on Zelenskyy as it welcomed him and his wife on a joint visit, during which they thanked the country for its crucial military support as well as being a haven for Ukrainian refugees. The former Soviet satellite that is now a member of the European Union and NATO feels especially threatened by Russia and has been a leading advocate for aid to Kyiv.

Russian president Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, said Moscow’s relations with Washington are “in deep crisis” as the U.S. has led its allies in supplying aid and weapons to Ukraine.

Speaking at a ceremony where he accepted diplomatic credentials from ambassadors of 17 nations, including the U.S., Putin alleged that Washington’s support for the 2014 protests in Kyiv that ousted a pro-Kremlin president led to Russia’s sending troops into Ukraine.

Zelensky and Duda said they wanted to leave behind any World War II-era grievances that linger in Ukraine and Poland.

“There are no taboo topics between us,” Duda said. “There are still open wounds in the memory of many people.”

The visit to Warsaw was a rare wartime foray out of Ukraine for Zelenskyy. While he also travelled to the United States, Britain, France and Belgium, the trip to Poland stood out because it was announced in advance and undertaken without the secrecy of past foreign trips. It also was the first time Zelensky and first lady Olena Zelenska travelled abroad together since the war began in February 2022, said Marcin Przydacz, head of Duda’s foreign policy office.

Duda awarded Zelensky Poland’s oldest and highest civilian distinction, The Order of the White Eagle.“We have no doubt that your attitude, together with the bravery of the nation, has saved Ukraine,” the Polish president told Zelensky.

At a ceremony in the courtyard of the presidential palace, Duda and the two countries’ first ladies were dressed in formal attire, while Zelensky wore the military-style sweatshirt and khaki trousers that have become his uniform since the invasion.

His trips to London, Paris and Brussels in February were part of his push for warplanes and for his country admission to the EU and NATO, and his visit to Washington in December was intended to shore up U.S. support.

Zelenskyy travelled through Poland on his previous foreign trips, but until now had not made it his sole destination. The purpose of the journey to Warsaw was primarily to thank a country that has been an international cheerleader for Ukraine, as well as a safe haven for Ukrainian refugees and a transit hub for Ukraine-bound humanitarian aid and weapons.

The visit highlighted the central European nation’s rising role in a new international security order that has emerged from the war. Poland is seeking to modernize its military by purchasing tanks and other equipment from U.S. and South Korean producers. The United States has also bolstered its military presence in Poland.

Zelensky also was meeting with Ukrainians who have fled to Poland. More than 1.5 million Ukrainians have registered with the Polish government since the war began.

His visit comes at a delicate time, with Polish farmers increasingly angry because Ukrainian grain that has entered the country has created a glut, causing prices to fall.

The grain is only meant to be stored temporarily before being sent to markets in North Africa and the Middle East. But farmers say the grain is taking up space in silos and entering Polish markets, causing local prices to fall. Romanian and Bulgarian farmers say they face the same problem.

That anger is emerging as a headache for Morawiecki’s government ahead of fall elections, particularly since his conservative ruling party, Law and Justice, gets much of its support in rural areas. Agriculture minister Henryk Kowalczyk, the focus of the farmers’ anger, resigned Wednesday.

In Ukraine, the military authorities said Russian forces in the previous 24 hours had launched 47 airstrikes, three missile strikes and 42 attacks from multiple rocket launchers. At least four civilians were killed and 16 others wounded in that period, Zelensky’s office reported.

UN nuclear chief discusses Ukraine nuclear plant in Russia

Wednesday 5 April 2023 18:00 , Martha Mchardy

The head of the U.N.’s atomic energy watchdog met with Russian officials in Kaliningrad on Wednesday for negotiations on the safety of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, currently held by Russian forces.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi’s trip to the Russian exclave came a week after he visited the plant, which is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.

“I met high level officials from several Russian agencies in Kaliningrad,” Grossi said on Twitter. “I continue my efforts to protect the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant,” he said, emphasizing that this was “in everyone’s interest.”

UN nuclear chief discusses Ukraine nuclear plant in Russia

Blinken says WSJ reporter 'wrongfully detained' by Russia

Wednesday 5 April 2023 17:30 , Martha Mchardy

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday he has “no doubt” that Russia has wrongfully detained an American reporter for The Wall Street Journal who was arrested last week on spying allegations.

However, Blinken said a formal determination of Evan Gershkovich’s wrongful detention has not yet been made, something that would elevate the priority of his case within the U.S. government. Blinken said the legal process for such a determination would be completed soon.

“In Evan’s case we are working through the determination on wrongful detention. There is a process to do that,” he said. “I’ll let that process play out.

“In my mind, there is no doubt that he is being wrongfully detained by Russia,” Blinken told reporters.

Matthew Lee reports:

Blinken says WSJ reporter 'wrongfully detained' by Russia

As Finland joins its ranks NATO ponders Ukraine's prospects

Wednesday 5 April 2023 17:00 , Martha Mchardy

As Finland joined NATO this week, casting aside a history of military nonalignment, a small but noisy group of Ukraine supporters outside the security fence at the alliance’s headquarters used a loudspeaker system to chant “Ukraine needs NATO,” “Ukraine in NATO,” and “Ukraine needs fighter jets.”

Russia’s war on Ukraine has driven Finland into NATO’s ranks to benefit from its security guarantee that an attack on any one of the now-31 member countries will be met with a response from them all. Sweden, Bosnia, Georgia and — most urgently — Ukraine, want in, too.

At their summit in Lithuania on July 11-12, U.S. President Joe Biden and his counterparts want to offer Ukraine something more, something stronger, in line with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s expectations more than a year into a war that has killed tens of thousands and driven millions from their homes. The question, NATO diplomats say, is: What, exactly?

Read the full story:

As Finland joins its ranks NATO ponders Ukraine's prospects

Russia's Lavrov to discuss Ukraine, grain and energy in visit to Turkey

Wednesday 5 April 2023 16:56 , Martha Mchardy

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu will discuss the conflict in Ukraine, energy cooperation and the Black Sea grain deal during a two-day visit by a Russian delegation this week.

Turkey has positioned itself as a potential intermediary between Kyiv and Moscow in the 13-month conflict, brokering the only significant diplomatic breakthrough so far in the shape of a deal that facilitates exports of grain from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports despite a Russian blockade.

Russia’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday that Mr Lavrov and Mr Cavusoglu would use the visit on Thursday and Friday to touch base on the “situation in Ukraine” as well as consult on a wide range of regional and international issues.

“The ministers will exchange views on the current state of the Ukraine crisis, discuss the principles and means of a peaceful settlement of the conflict - which is only possible if Kyiv takes into account Russian interests and concerns,” the ministry said.

Moscow has said it is open to negotiations, but that Kyiv, must recognise the “new realities” of the conflict - namely Russia’s unilateral annexation of four Ukrainian regions last year and Crimea in 2014.

President Zelensky has said he will not discuss a ceasefire until Russian troops have left every inch of Ukrainian territory.

Moscow said Mr Lavrov and Mr Cavusoglu would also discuss the state of the grain deal - which Russia said last month it would extend for 60 days despite the United Nations, Ukraine and Turkey pushing for a repeat 120-day rollover.

Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan said a week ago that Russian president Vladimir Putin could visit in April for the inauguration of the Russian-built Akkuyu nuclear power plant, but the Kremlin has said there are no plans for a visit

Macron says China could play ‘major role’ in Ukraine peace as he arrives in Beijing

Wednesday 5 April 2023 16:30 , Martha Mchardy

Emmanuel Macron said China can “play a major role” towards establishing “peace” amid Russia’s war in Ukraine, in his first remarks while on a visit to the country.

The French president reached Beijing on Wednesday with a delegation of 50 people, including business executives, filmmakers, artists and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, for a three-day visit.

This is Mr Macron’s first trip to China since 2019 and has been widely billed as an attempt to engage with Chinese president Xi Jinping on hastening the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine by wielding his influence with Vladimir Putin.

Shweta Sharma reports:

Macron says China could play ‘major role’ in Ukraine peace as he arrives in Beijing

Poland scraps fencing event because of Russian participation

Wednesday 5 April 2023 16:00 , Martha Mchardy

A fencing World Cup event in Poland has been cancelled because the sport’s governing body decided last month to let Russians and Belarusians compete.

The Polish Fencing Association said Wednesday it will not host the Olympic qualifying event for women’s foil from April 21-23 in Poznan.

Last month, the International Fencing Federation voted to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to resume competing after an exclusion of more than a year.

Read the full story:

Poland scraps fencing event because of Russian participation

Russia says it will ignore media lobbying for release of arrested US reporter

Wednesday 5 April 2023 15:47 , Martha Mchardy

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told journalists on Wednesday that Moscow would ignore a letter from media organisations urging the release of a U.S. reporter accused of espionage, saying it was hypocritical.

Blinken says U.S. working on "wrongful detention" label for WSJ reporter

Wednesday 5 April 2023 15:33 , Martha Mchardy

The United States is working through the process to determine if Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich’s detention by Russia is “wrongful”, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday, adding that it would soon be completed.

“It’s something that we’re working through very deliberately, but expeditiously as well. And I’ll let that process play out. In my own mind, there’s no doubt that he’s being wrongfully detained by Russia,” Mr Blinken said at a press conference in Brussels.

Russia complains that West has not expressed concern over blogger killing

Wednesday 5 April 2023 15:30 , Martha Mchardy

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova complained on Wednesday that Western countries had not expressed concern over the killing of a military blogger with a bomb in St Petersburg on Sunday, which Russia has called an act of terrorism.

Zelensky visits Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Poland state visit

Wednesday 5 April 2023 15:20 , Martha Mchardy

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during a state visit in Poland on Wednesday.

Mr Zelensky attended wreath laying ceremony at the Pilsudski Square in Warsaw and lay a wreath in the colours of the Ukrainian flag on the tomb, before signing a commemorative book.

Future NATO membership has to be based on independent, democratic Ukraine - Stoltenberg

Wednesday 5 April 2023 15:00 , Martha Mchardy

NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday Ukraine’s future membership of the alliance had to be based on the country being independent and democratic, which is now challenged by Russia’s invasion.

Stoltenberg told a media briefing after a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels that Ukrainian forces should have the highest possible level of interoperability with the alliance when the war ended.

US envoy demands journalist's release in call with Russian counterpart

Wednesday 5 April 2023 14:59 , Martha Mchardy

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on Wednesday she had spoken with her Russian counterpart Vassily Nebenzia to demand the immediate release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

Mr Gershkovich was arrested and charged with espionage in Russia last week. Thomas-Greenfield said she spoke with Mr Nebenzia on Tuesday.

Russia's Belarus nuclear threat shows "empty promises" of China statement: Stoltenberg

Wednesday 5 April 2023 14:50 , Martha Mchardy

Russia’s announcement that it will station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus shows that a Russia-China joint statement days earlier amounted to “empty promises”, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement came just days after Russia and China jointly declared countries should not deploy nuclear weapons outside their borders, Mr Stoltenberg told reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

He said this showed such statements are “empty promises and what we need to watch closely is what Russia is doing.”

Mr Stoltenberg said NATO had not seen any signs so far that Russia was following through on Putin’s announcement.

Putin tells US its support for 2014 revolution led to today's Ukraine situation

Wednesday 5 April 2023 14:45 , Martha Mchardy

Russian president Vladimir Putin told new U.S. ambassador Lynne Tracy in a Kremlin ceremony on Tuesday that U.S. support for a revolution in Ukraine in 2014 had led to the current situation where Russia and Ukraine were in conflict.

He said relations with Washington were in a deep crisis.

Mr Putin also told the European Union’s ambassador at a Kremlin ceremony on Wednesday that relations between Russia and the bloc had “seriously degraded”, and that the EU had initiated a “geopolitical confrontation” with Russia.

To counter China, US trade rep seeks closer ties to allies

Wednesday 5 April 2023 14:30 , Martha Mchardy

The Biden administration is pressing its case for a new approach to global trade, arguing that America’s traditional reliance on promoting free trade pacts failed to anticipate China’s brass-knuckled brand of capitalism and the possibility a major power like Russia would go to war against one of its trading partners.

In a speech Wednesday at American University, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai is calling for a strategy of what’s known as “friend-shoring’’ — building up supply chains among allied countries and reducing dependence on geopolitical rivals such as China. Rising tension with Beijing and supply-chain bottlenecks arising from the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the risks of relying too heavily on Chinese suppliers.

To counter China, US trade rep seeks closer ties to allies

Russia's Lavrov to visit Turkey for talks April 6-7

Wednesday 5 April 2023 14:29 , Martha Mchardy

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit Turkey on April 6-7 for talks with his Turkish counterpart, ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.