US President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced a new package of arms and ammunition for Ukraine after reaffirming Washington’s support for Kyiv against Russia’s invasion in a call with President Volodymyr Zelensky. The $1 billion package includes more artillery, coastal anti-ship defence systems and ammunition for artillery and advanced rocket systems. Read about the day's events as they unfolded on our liveblog. All times are in Paris time (GMT+2).
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5:10am: Deepening food crisis will push global displacement to new records, UN says
Russia’s war in Ukraine has pushed the number of people who are displaced around the world above 100 million for the first time, and the UN warns a deepening food crisis could force many more to flee their homes.
Efforts to address global food insecurity, which has been dramatically aggravated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, is “of paramount importance ... to prevent a larger number of people moving”, UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi told reporters.
“If you ask me how many ... I don’t know, but it will be pretty big numbers.”
1:15am: Two US citizens missing, feared captured, in eastern Ukraine
Two US citizens who travelled to Ukraine as volunteer fighters against Russian forces have been missing for a week and are feared captured, family members said on Wednesday.
Alexander Drueke, 39, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Andy Huynh, 27, of Hartselle, Alabama, were last in contact with their families on June 8 and did not return from a mission around the Kharkiv region of eastern Ukraine.
Reports that the two men have been taken prisoners of war by Russia are unconfirmed, the families and a US State Department spokesperson said.
“What we know officially at this point from the State Department is that Andy and Alex are missing,” Joy Black, Andy’s fiancée, said by phone.
“We do not have confirmation for anything beyond that. Obviously the longer the search goes the more we start to consider other scenarios,” she added.
Russia’s defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
If the pair have been captured, they would be the first confirmed US citizens to have been taken as prisoners of war in the conflict.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said that if the reports are true, the United States “will do everything we can” to get them back.
June 16, 12:36am: Ukraine shows off freshly delivered French artillery
Ukraine on Wednesday showed off one of its new French-made self-propelled howitzers, firing towards Russian-controlled areas, as Kyiv urges Western countries to provide more military hardware.
The heavy artillery system highly prized for its accuracy is part of the new arsenal of modern weaponry provided to Ukraine by multiple countries since Russia invaded on February 24.
President Emmanuel Macron pledged to send several systems in April, later telling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that arms supplies from Paris would “increase in intensity”.
The firing session watched by AFP journalists came as Macron on Wednesday called for “new in-depth discussions” with Ukraine, without confirming if he would travel this week to Kyiv as several media have reported.
11:22pm: Zelensky ‘grateful’ for new US arms package to Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday he was “grateful” for a new American arms package to Kyiv after speaking to US President Joe Biden.
“The United States announced new strengthening of our defence, a new $1 billion support package,” Zelensky said in his nightly address. “I am grateful for this support, it is especially important for our defence in (the eastern region of) Donbas.”
Biden announced an arms package to Ukraine worth $1 billion earlier on Wednesday, including more artillery, coastal anti-ship defence systems, ammunition for artillery and advanced rocket systems that Ukraine is already using.
“I am also grateful for the (US) leadership in mobilising the help of all partners,” the Ukrainian leader said.
10:41pm: Turkey ready to host four-way meeting on Ukrainian grain exports
Turkey is ready to host a four-way meeting with the United Nations, Russia and Ukraine to organise the export of grain through the Black Sea, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced Wednesday.
According to Cavusoglu, the UN has submitted a plan to facilitate exports. Under the plan, safe corridors could be established without de-mining in the Black Sea for grain exports from Ukraine, he said. “If Russia answers positively, there will be a four-partite meeting in Istanbul,” he said.
Millions of tons of wheat are currently stuck in Ukrainian ports, either blockaded or occupied by Russian forces, and vessels face the danger of mines.
10:09pm: Ukraine says Russian forces trying to attack simultaneously in nine directions
The head of Ukraine’s military on Wednesday said Russia had concentrated its main strike forces in the north of Luhansk region and were trying to attack simultaneously in nine directions.
“The fierce struggle for Luhansk region continues,” Valeriy Zaluzhny, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, said in an online message. The Russians were using aircraft, rocket-propelled grenades, and artillery, he added.
8:58pm: Russia says Ukraine blocked civilian evacuation in Severodonetsk
Russia on Wednesday accused Ukrainian forces of having prevented civilians sheltering in a chemical plant in the besieged eastern city of Severodonetsk from being evacuated via a humanitarian corridor.
Russia created a corridor to evacuate civilians from the Azot chemical factory, but “the Kyiv authorities cynically scuppered the humanitarian operation”, the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
6:56pm: Biden announces $1-billion package worth of arms to Ukraine
US President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced a new package of arms and ammunition for Ukraine after reaffirming Washington’s support for Kyiv against Russia’s invasion in a call with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The package of $1 billion-worth of arms includes more artillery, coastal anti-ship defense systems and ammunition for artillery and advanced rocket systems that Ukraine is already using, Biden said.
In the phone call, Biden said he “reaffirmed my commitment that the United States will stand by Ukraine as it defends its democracy and support its sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of unprovoked Russian aggression,” according to a statement.
4:50pm: Gazprom to cut Nord Stream gas deliveries by a third
Russian gas giant Gazprom has announced it is cutting daily gas deliveries via the Nord Stream pipeline by a further 33 percent due to what it said was repair work. Germany responded by saying that Gazprom is seeking to “unsettle and drive up prices”.
Moscow has lost several European gas clients after it demanded that all “unfriendly” countries pay for Russian natural gas in rubles in response to a barrage of Western sanctions over Ukraine.
Poland, Bulgaria, Finland and the Netherlands have had their natural gas deliveries suspended over refusing to pay in rubles.
4:33pm: France’s Macron says Moldova’s bid to join EU “perfectly legitimate”
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that Moldova’s bid to join the European Union was “perfectly legitimate”, speaking at a joint news conference with Moldava President Maia Sandu.
Moldova, which borders Ukraine to the east and Romania to the west, has pressed ahead with efforts to join the EU amid fears that it could be drawn into the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, notably because of pro-Russian separatists in Moldova’s Transdniestria region.
France will help reach a consensus among EU members on the issue of Moldova’s application to join the bloc at a crucial Council meeting next week, Macron said. His visit is the first to the former Soviet nation since 1998.
4:25pm: EU signs gas deal with Egypt, Israel to end ‘dependency’ on Russia
Israel and Egypt plan to boost gas exports to Europe under an agreement signed during a Cairo visit Wednesday by EU chief Ursula von der Leyen as the bloc seeks to wean itself off Russian gas.
The memorandum of understanding on gas exports between Egypt, Israel and the EU was signed to “get rid of its dependency on Russian fossil fuels”, the EU chief said.
Von der Leyen also pledged food relief worth €100 million for Egypt, which has been reeling from grain shortages as a result of the Ukraine war.
3:17pm: Putin, Xi agree to boost energy, finance ties due to West’s sanctions on Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed in a phone call with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to expand cooperation in energy, finance and industry as Moscow faces unprecedented Western sanctions over Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.
“It was agreed to expand cooperation in energy, finance, industry, transport and other spheres, taking into account the global economic situation that has become more complicated due to the West’s illegitimate sanctions policy,” the Kremlin said in a readout of the leaders’ call.
2:57pm: IKEA to sell factories, cut jobs in Russia because of Ukraine war
Swedish furniture giant IKEA on Wednesday said it is selling factories, closing offices and reducing its nearly 15,000-strong workforce in Russia.
“Unfortunately, the circumstances have not improved, and the devastating war continues. Businesses and supply chains across the world have been heavily impacted and we do not see that it is possible to resume operations any time soon,” Ingka Group, which owns all IKEA stores in Russia, said in a statement.
Brand owner Inter IKEA said it would start looking for new owners at its four factories and cut staff, but did not give further details.
2:19pm: Russian oil and fuel revenues rose in May despite lower exports
Higher crude oil and fuel prices allowed Russian revenues to climb in May despite its export volumes slipping due to sanctions, the International Energy Agency said.
The findings underscore the difficulty of punishing Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine by banning Russian imports, moves which have exacerbated a supply crunch and driven up prices.
Crude exports held steady on the month at 5.4 million barrels per day but refined product shipments slipped 155,000 bpd compared to April to 2.4 million bpd. “With higher crude oil and product prices globally, Russian oil export revenues are estimated to have increased by $1.7 billion in May to about $20 billion,” the Paris-based agency said in its monthly oil report.
2:14pm: UN probes allegations Russians adopting Ukrainian children
UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Wednesday said her office is investigating reports that Ukrainian children are being “forcibly deported” and sent to Russia where they are then offered for adoption. Some of them have allegedly been taken from orphanages.
“We are concerned about the alleged plans of the Russian authorities to allow the movement of children from Ukraine to families in the Russian Federation, which do not appear to include steps for family reunification or respect the best interest of the child.”
The UN began raising concern in March about the risk of forced adoption of Ukrainian children, especially for around 91,000 who were living in institutions or boarding schools at the beginning of the war, many of them located in the country’s embattled east.
12:13pm: UN war crimes investigators hold press conference in Kyiv
In Kyiv on Wednesday, members of an independent UN commission released early results of their inquiry into human rights violations. They said their information gathered does support claims that aggressions that could reach the status of war crimes have been committed. This was a preliminery update after their first ten-day visit on the ground in Ukraine to collect 'legally strong' evidence. FRANCE 24's Catherine Norris Trent provides more details below.
9:59am: Macron toughens tone on Russia; calls for 'new discussions' with Ukraine
President Emmanuel Macron voiced a tougher line on Russia on Wednesday after visiting French and allied troops at a NATO base in Romania, seeking to assuage concerns in Ukraine and among some European allies over what has been perceived as an ambiguous stance towards Moscow.
Macron arrived in Romania on Tuesday for a three-day trip to NATO's southern flank including Moldova before possibly heading to Kyiv on Thursday on a visit with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, two diplomatic sources said.
"We will do everything to stop Russia's war forces, to help the Ukrainians and their army and continue to negotiate," he told French and NATO troops at a military base in Romania.
Macron also said on Wednesday that Ukraine would have to hold talks with Russia at some point, in order to try and bring an end to the war between the two countries.
6:52am: Russia plans evacuations from chemical plant in battleground Ukraine city
Russia said it would establish a humanitarian corridor to evacuate civilians from a chemical plant in Severodonetsk starting Wednesday as Ukrainian forces wage a desperate battle for control of the city.
Moscow's forces have intensified efforts to cut off Ukrainian troops remaining in the city, destroying all three bridges which connect it across a river to the twin city of Lysychansk.
About 500 civilians are taking shelter in Severodonetsk's Azot chemical plant, according to the head of the city's administration.
The Russian defence ministry announced a humanitarian corridor would be established on Wednesday for evacuations from the plant, saying it was "guided by the principles of humanity". FRANCE 24 Senior reporter Catherine Norris Trent reports from Kyiv.
6:15am: NATO-aligned defence ministers meet as Ukraine urges West to send more heavy weapons
Dozens of defence ministers from NATO and other parts of the world are expected to discuss weapon deliveries to Ukraine on Wednesday in Brussels, US officials said, as Kyiv calls for a significant increase in arms to help hold off Russian troops in eastern Ukraine.
The battle for Severodonetsk – a city of barely more than 100,000 people before the war – is now the biggest fight in Ukraine as the conflict has shifted into a punishing war of attrition.
Ukraine needs 1,000 howitzers, 500 tanks and 1,000 drones among other heavy weapons, presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said on Monday. Western countries have promised NATO-standard weapons – including advanced US rockets. But deploying them is taking time, and Ukraine will require consistent Western support to transition to new supplies and systems as stocks dwindle of their Soviet-era weapons and munitions.
The meeting on Wednesday on the sidelines of a NATO defense ministerial is being led by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. It is the third time the group of nearly 50 countries are meeting to discuss and coordinate assistance to Ukraine. The previous in-person meeting was at Ramstein Air Base in Germany in April.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS and AFP)
