Closing summary
This blog is now closing. Below is a summary of today’s stories:
The Kremlin claimed that Ukraine withdrew from peace negotiations with Russia in 2022 “at Britain’s insistence”. The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, added that the UK “forbade” negotiations with Russia.
Ukrainian forces are turning their attention to strengthening their defensive positions along much of the frontline, according to the UK’s Ministry of Defence. In its daily intelligence briefing, the MoD said the move follows Zelenskiy’s calls, from late November 2023, “for faster fortification in key sectors”.
Russia has launched its fifth air attack this month targeting Kyiv, Ukrainian military officials have said. Ukraine’s air force said air defence systems destroyed 18 out of 19 attack drones launched at Kyiv, Odesa, Kherson and other regions of Ukraine. It was not immediately clear how many were destroyed over Kyiv.
China’s president, Xi Jinping, met the Russian prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, in Beijing on Wednesday. Xi praised the growth of bilateral trade between the two countries, which reached a record $200bn in the first 11 months of 2023. According to the official readout, Xi said: “Developing China-Russia relations is a strategic choice made by both sides based on the fundamental interests of the two peoples.”
The top EU court on Wednesday upheld sanctions against Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich that had been placed upon him after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “The general court dismisses the action brought by Mr Abramovich, thereby upholding the restrictive measures taken against him,” said the EU’s top court in a ruling.
Reuters reports that the US issued new Russia-related sanctions on Wednesday, targeting entities in Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates, according to the treasury department website.
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