Closing summary
It’s 9pm in Kyiv. Here’s where we stand:
Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have met for a second set of talks at the Kremlin. The Chinese and Russian leaders signed a series of documents on a “strategic cooperation” after what Putin described as “successful and constructive” talks which showed that China-Russian relations were at the “highest point” in “the whole history of our two countries”. The Chinese president’s trip to Moscow has been viewed as a major boost for his strategic partner, Putin.
Xi said China had an “impartial position” on the conflict in Ukraine and that it supported peace and dialogue, Russian state media reported. Xi said talks with his Russian counterpart had been “open and friendly”. Putin, speaking at the joint news conference, said Beijing’s proposal to end the Ukraine conflict could be the basis for a peaceful settlement – when the west is ready for it.
Xi has invited Putin to visit China this year in a symbolic show of support after the international criminal court issued an arrest warrant for Russia’s president over accusations of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children. The Chinese leader extended the invitation during a meeting on Tuesday morning with the Russian prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, as part of his state visit to Moscow. Putin could visit China this year, according to Kremlin foreign policy adviser, Yury Ushakov.
Putin has condemned the UK for a plan to send ammunition that contains depleted uranium for use in Ukraine. If the UK supplies ammunition with depleted uranium to Ukraine, Russia will be forced to react, the Russian leader warned at his news conference with President Xi.
Japan’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, is en route to meet the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in Kyiv, mirroring the sit-down between Xi and Putin. Kishida and Zelenskiy are expected to discuss Japanese support for the reconstruction of Ukraine. Kishida visited a church in the town of Bucha outside Kyiv on Tuesday and said he was “outraged by the cruelty” as he paid his respects to the victims of Russian atrocities against civilians.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said Kyiv had suggested to China that it join a Ukrainian peace formula to end Russia’s war in his country. Zelenskiy, speaking during a joint press conference in Kyiv with Japan’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, said Ukraine was still waiting for an answer from Beijing. He also said he would join an upcoming G7 summit in Japan via video link.
Ukraine is holding its defence of the besieged eastern city of Bakhmut as Russian forces attempted to advance to the city centre, a Ukrainian general has said. There was intense fighting along the eastern frontline, Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukrainian ground forces, said.
Ukraine’s defence ministry has said an explosion in the Crimean city of Dzhankoi destroyed Russian cruise missiles intended for use by Moscow’s Black Sea fleet. The strike appeared to have come from a drone, with a video of the explosion showing it was immediately preceded by a loudly buzzing engine, similar in sound to Iranian-made kamikaze drones used previously to attack Ukraine.
Nato’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, has warned China against supplying lethal weapons to Russia. “We haven’t seen any proof that China is delivering lethal weapons to Russia but we have seen some signs that this has been a request from Russia, and that this is an issue that is considered in Beijing by the Chinese authorities,” Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels.
Seven out of 30 allies met Nato’s military spending target of 2% of GDP in 2022, one country less than in 2021 before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Stoltenberg said. He did not reveal which countries reached the goal but referred to Nato’s annual report to be published later on Tuesday.
The US is speeding up its delivery of Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine by sending a refurbished older model that can be ready faster, according to US officials. The original plan was to send 31 of the newer M1A2 Abrams tanks but the older M1A1 version, which can be taken from army stocks and will be easier for Ukrainian forces to learn to use and maintain, will be sent to Ukraine instead.
Fifteen children have been returned from the Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions of Kharkiv and Kherson, as well as their mothers and children’s legal guardians, Ukraine’s human rights commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, said. A total of 308 children have been returned to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion, he added, citing the country’s national information bureau.
Standing alongside Xi Jinping in the 15th-century Chamber of Facets, one of the most historic ceremonial venues at the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin raised his glass of white wine.
He proceeded to make a toast to the “health of our great friend Xi and the deepening of the Russian-Chinese partnership”, before ending his speech with the phrase ganbei, Chinese for “empty glass”.
Putin’s speech was a culmination of the Kremlin’s two-day charm offensive with China, aimed at cementing ties between the two countries amid Russia’s growing isolation from the west.
From the moment Xi stepped off his Boeing 747 at Vnukovo airport in Moscow on Monday, it was clear that Xi’s visit was of huge importance to the Kremlin. On his way to the five-star Chinese-owned Soluxe Hotel, Xi drove past a series of large billboards dedicated to his visit.
The Soluxe is set next to a nearly 13-acre park with trees and plants from all over China, while its rooms are designed based on “feng shui principles”, Russian state media proudly boasted.
A few hours later, facing the Chinese leader across a small table after they first shook hands, Putin hailed what he described as China’s “colossal leap forward“ under his “dear friend” Xi.
Here are some images we have received of Japan’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, meeting Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in Kyiv today.
Updated
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said Kyiv had suggested to China that it join a Ukrainian peace formula to end Russia’s war in his country.
Zelenskiy, speaking during a joint press conference in Kyiv with Japan’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, said Ukraine was still waiting for an answer from Beijing.
Zelenskiy said:
We offered China to become a partner in the implementation of the peace formula. We passed over our formula across all channels. We invite you to dialogue. We are waiting for your answer.
He added:
We are receiving some signals, but there are no specifics yet.
He also said he would join an upcoming G7 summit in Japan via video link.
Updated
Russian authorities have raided the homes and offices of multiple former employees of the Nobel Prize-winning human rights group Memorial, the group said.
The group said the raids – and interrogations that took place after – are connected to a criminal case launched by Russia’s investigative committee against the activists earlier this month.
Investigators have accused Memorial of rehabilitating Nazism, punishable by up to five years in prison. The group runs a database of victims of political repressions, which includes three people who were convicted in Soviet times over collaboration with Nazi Germany.
The group posted to Telegram:
At present searches of some of the employees are continuing - lawyers are not allowed to see them.
Memorial, one of the oldest and the most renowned Russian rights organisations, was awarded the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize along with imprisoned Belarusian activist Ales Bialiatski and Ukrainian organisation the Centre for Civil Liberties.
Memorial chairman Yan Rachinsky, who collected the Nobel Prize on behalf of the group, was also subject to a raid on his home, the group said.
Updated
Reuters has translated part of the joint statement by Russia and China that relates to the war in Ukraine.
The statement reads:
The Russian side positively assesses the objective and unbiased position of the Chinese side on the Ukrainian question. The parties are opposed to any states and their blocs damaging the legitimate security interests of other states in order to obtain military, political and other advantages. The Chinese side positively assesses the willingness of the Russian side to make efforts to restart peace talks as soon as possible.
Russia welcomes China’s readiness to play a positive role in a political-diplomatic settlement of the Ukrainian crisis and the constructive ideas set forth in the document drawn up by the Chinese side “On China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukrainian Crisis”.
The parties note that in order to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, it is necessary to respect the legitimate concerns of all countries in the field of security and prevent the formation of bloc confrontation, and halt actions that further fuel the conflict.
The parties stress that responsible dialogue is the best way for a sustainable resolution of the Ukrainian crisis, and the international community should support constructive efforts in this regard.
The parties call for an end to all steps that contribute to the escalation of tension and prolongation of hostilities, to avoid further degradation of the crisis to the point where it could cross over into an uncontrollable phase. The parties oppose all unilateral sanctions imposed in circumvention of the UN security council.
Updated
Here’s a look at the joint statement signed by President Xi and President Putin today, as shared by Edward Wong of the New York Times.
From Beijing, here's the joint statement signed by Xi & Putin. Russia has violated the UN Charter through its invasion of Ukraine and other wars over the years. But both China and Russia say here the UN Charter "must be observed." https://t.co/JfMhjIYbaq pic.twitter.com/q9y4iIhNmJ
— Edward Wong (@ewong) March 21, 2023
Updated
Meanwhile in Kyiv, the Japanese prime minister, Fumio Kishida, has visited the Wall of Remembrance for the fallen and laid flowers in tribute for those who have died fighting in the war.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida honors fallen defenders of Ukraine by laying flowers at the Memory Wall of the Fallen near the Mykhailo Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv during his visit to Ukraine on March 21.
— The New Voice of Ukraine (@NewVoiceUkraine) March 21, 2023
More news here👉🏻 https://t.co/S95ZiWHXi6 pic.twitter.com/3jsTZg3Ytr
Updated
Russia’s defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, has said there were fewer and fewer steps left before a potential “nuclear collision” between Russia and the west, Interfax news agency reported.
Shoigu, responding to reports that the UK will supply Ukraine with ammunition containing depleted uranium, said Moscow would respond, Interfax reported.
“Every war ends in peace”, Shoigu was also quoted by Russian state-run Ria news agency as saying.
Summary of the day so far
It’s nearly 7pm in Kyiv. Here’s where we stand:
Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have met for a second set of talks at the Kremlin. The Chinese and Russian leaders signed a series of documents on a “strategic cooperation” after what Putin described as “successful and constructive” talks which showed that China-Russian relations were at the “highest point” in “the whole history of our two countries”. The Chinese president’s trip to Moscow has been viewed as a major boost for his strategic partner, Putin.
Xi said China had an “impartial position” on the conflict in Ukraine and that it supported peace and dialogue, Russian state media reported. Xi said talks with his Russian counterpart had been “open and friendly”. Putin, speaking at the joint news conference, said Beijing’s proposal to end the Ukraine conflict could be the basis for a peaceful settlement – when the west is ready for it.
Xi has invited Putin to visit China this year in a symbolic show of support after the international criminal court issued an arrest warrant for Russia’s president over accusations of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children. The Chinese leader extended the invitation during a meeting on Tuesday morning with the Russian prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, as part of his state visit to Moscow. Putin could visit China this year, according to Kremlin foreign policy adviser, Yury Ushakov.
Putin has condemned the UK for a plan to send ammunition that contains depleted uranium for use in Ukraine. If the UK supplies ammunition with depleted uranium to Ukraine, Russia will be forced to react, the Russian leader warned at his news conference with President Xi.
Japan’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, is en route to meet the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in Kyiv, mirroring the sit-down between Xi and Putin. Kishida and Zelenskiy are expected to discuss Japanese support for the reconstruction of Ukraine. Kishida visited a church in the town of Bucha outside Kyiv on Tuesday and said he was “outraged by the cruelty” as he paid his respects to the victims of Russian atrocities against civilians.
Ukraine is holding its defence of the besieged eastern city of Bakhmut as Russian forces attempted to advance to the city centre, a Ukrainian general has said. There was intense fighting along the eastern frontline, Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukrainian ground forces, said.
Ukraine’s defence ministry has said an explosion in the Crimean city of Dzhankoi destroyed Russian cruise missiles intended for use by Moscow’s Black Sea fleet. The strike appeared to have come from a drone, with a video of the explosion showing it was immediately preceded by a loudly buzzing engine, similar in sound to Iranian-made kamikaze drones used previously to attack Ukraine.
Nato’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, has warned China against supplying lethal weapons to Russia. “We haven’t seen any proof that China is delivering lethal weapons to Russia but we have seen some signs that this has been a request from Russia, and that this is an issue that is considered in Beijing by the Chinese authorities,” Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels.
Seven out of 30 allies met Nato’s military spending target of 2% of GDP in 2022, one country less than in 2021 before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Stoltenberg said. He did not reveal which countries reached the goal but referred to Nato’s annual report to be published later on Tuesday.
The US is speeding up its delivery of Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine by sending a refurbished older model that can be ready faster, according to US officials. The original plan was to send 31 of the newer M1A2 Abrams tanks but the older M1A1 version, which can be taken from army stocks and will be easier for Ukrainian forces to learn to use and maintain, will be sent to Ukraine instead.
Fifteen children have been returned from the Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions of Kharkiv and Kherson, as well as their mothers and children’s legal guardians, Ukraine’s human rights commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, said. A total of 308 children have been returned to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion, he added, citing the country’s national information bureau.
Good afternoon from London, it’s Léonie Chao-Fong here with all the latest developments from the Russia-Ukraine war. Feel free to drop me a message if you have anything to flag, you can reach me on Twitter or via email.
Updated
Vladimir Putin could visit China this year, according to Kremlin foreign policy adviser, Yury Ushakov.
President Xi on Monday invited the Russian leader to visit China this year, extending the invitation during a meeting today with the Russian prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin.
Updated
China is ‘impartial’ in Ukraine conflict, says Xi after ‘friendly’ talks with Putin
Xi Jinping, speaking at the joint news conference with Putin, said Beijing had an “impartial position” on the conflict in Ukraine and that it supported peace and dialogue, Russian state media reported.
Xi, who was speaking through a translator, said talks with Putin had been “open and friendly”.
The two leaders stressed that “responsible dialogue” is the best way to steadily solve the Ukraine crisis, Chinese state media reported.
Chinese state media reported that the Russian side reaffirmed its commitment to resuming peace talks as soon as possible.
The two sides pointed out that to resolve the Ukraine crisis, the “legitimate security concerns” of all countries must be respected and that confrontation between camps should be avoided, Chinese state media reported.
Putin, speaking at the joint news conference with President Xi, said Beijing’s proposal to end the Ukraine conflict could be the basis for a peaceful settlement – when the west is ready for it.
The Russian leader described talks with his Chinese counterpart as “successful and constructive” and said they showed Beijing was clearly now Moscow’s most economic partner. He said:
I am convinced that our multi-faceted cooperation will continue to develop for the good of the peoples of our countries.
Here are some of the latest images we have received from the news wires of today’s talks between Russian and Chinese delegations, led by President Putin and President Xi, at the Kremlin.
Updated
UK plan to send ammunition with depleted uranium to Ukraine would trigger Russian response, says Putin
Putin also condemned the UK for a plan to send ammunition that contains depleted uranium for use in Ukraine.
If the UK supplies ammunition with depleted uranium to Ukraine, Russia will be forced to react, the Russian leader said.
It comes after Lady Goldie, the minister of state at the UK Ministry of Defence, said Britain will be providing ammunition to Ukraine including armour piercing rounds which contain depleted uranium.
Updated
Many points of Chinese ‘peace’ plan for Ukraine ‘correlate to Russian point of view’, says Putin
Putin said he and Xi “spent a lot of time” and “put a lot of attention” discussing Beijing’s plan to end the conflict in Ukraine.
Putin, speaking at a news conference after talks with China’s president Xi, said:
We believe that many points of the Chinese peace plan correlate to the point of view of the Russian Federation and many of these points can be adopted in the west and in Kyiv.
Russia-China relations ‘at their highest point in history’, says Putin after talks with Xi
Vladimir Putin has been speaking at a news conference after talks with Xi Jinping, where he says the pair have signed statements that “fully reflect the nature of Russia-China relations”, which he described as being at “their highest point” in the “whole history of our two countries”.
Russia and China are “tied together” and enjoy “good neighbourly relations”, he said, adding that Moscow was in “constant contact” with Beijing.
This allows us to find, even in most complex situations, solutions to the problems and we are able to discuss all current international issues.
Updated
Putin and Xi sign joint statements on 'Russia-China strategic cooperation'
Chinese president, Xi Jinping, and Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, have finished formal talks at the Kremlin, and are signing documents on strategic cooperation, Russian state media are reporting.
The pair signed a joint statement “deepening the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era”, Hua Chunying, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign affairs ministry, said.
Xi and Putin “stressed that the Ukraine crisis should be settled through peace talks”, she said.
Hua added:
On the Ukraine issue, the two sides believe the purposes and principles of the UN Charter must be observed and international law respected. Russia speaks positively of China’s objective and impartial position on the Ukraine issue.
The two sides oppose the practice by any country or group of countries to seek advantages in the military, political and other areas to the detriment of the legitimate security interests of other countries.
President Xi and President Putin signed a joint statement at the Kremlin on deepening the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era. They stressed that the Ukraine crisis should be settled through peace talks.
— Hua Chunying 华春莹 (@SpokespersonCHN) March 21, 2023
On the Ukraine issue, the two sides believe the purposes and principles of the UN Charter must be observed and international law respected. Russia speaks positively of China’s objective and impartial position on the Ukraine issue.
— Hua Chunying 华春莹 (@SpokespersonCHN) March 21, 2023
The two sides oppose the practice by any country or group of countries to seek advantages in the military, political and other areas to the detriment of the legitimate security interests of other countries.
— Hua Chunying 华春莹 (@SpokespersonCHN) March 21, 2023
Updated
Russia and China should push for further cooperation, says Xi
China’s president, Xi Jinping, told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that the two countries should work more closely to push forward greater “practical cooperation” during formal talks at the Kremlin.
Xi, speaking on the second day of his state visit to Moscow, told Putin:
The early harvest of (our) cooperation can be seen, and further cooperation is being advanced.
Russia is ready to help Chinese businesses replace western companies that have left Russia over the Ukraine conflict, Putin told Xi.
The pair had discussed the proposed Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, which would ship Russian gas to China, Putin said. The planned pipeline would deliver 50bn cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas a year from Russia to China via Mongolia.
Putin told Xi:
I am convinced that our multi-faceted cooperation will continue to develop for the good of the peoples of our countries.
Talks between the two leaders have now finished, Russian state-owned Tass news agency has reported.
Updated
Russia condemns British plan to send depleted uranium ammunition to Ukraine
Russia’s foreign ministry on Tuesday condemned a British plan to send ammunition that contains depleted uranium for use in Ukraine.
Foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, wrote on her Telegram channel that this was the “Yugoslav scenario”, saying: “These shells not only kill, but infect the environment and cause cancer in people living on these lands.”
Zakharova went on to say:
By the way, it is naive to believe that only those against whom all this will be used will become victims. In Yugoslavia, Nato soldiers, in particular the Italians, were the first to suffer. Then they tried for a long time to get compensation from Nato for lost health. But their claims were denied.
When will they wake up in Ukraine? I’m not talking about addicts on Bankovaya [the street in Kyiv that houses the presidential office]. But about those who are still able to think. Their benefactors poison them.
Zakharova was responding to the answer to a written statement on Monday in the House of Lords, where crossbench hereditary peer Lord Hylton asked “whether any of the ammunition currently being supplied to Ukraine contains depleted uranium”.
In reply, Lady Goldie, minister of State at the Ministry of Defence, stated: “Alongside our granting of a squadron of Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine, we will be providing ammunition including armour piercing rounds which contain depleted uranium. Such rounds are highly effective in defeating modern tanks and armoured vehicles.”
Updated
Suspilne, Ukraine’s state broadcaster, reports that the city of Chasiv Yar has been targeted today. It wrote on its official Telegram channel:
On 21 March, the Russian military shelled Chasiv Yar near Bakhmut. As a result of the shelling, more than two dozen buildings were damaged – more than 10 private, high-rise buildings, and a school, Serhii Chaus, head of the city military administration of Chasiv Yar, told Suspilne.
The claims have not been independently verified.
Stoltenberg claims Nato has seen 'some signs' Russia has requested arms from China
Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned China on Tuesday against supplying lethal weapons to Russia, as leaders of both countries were meeting in Moscow for talks.
“We haven’t seen any proof that China is delivering lethal weapons to Russia but we have seen some signs that this has been a request from Russia, and that this is an issue that is considered in Beijing by the Chinese authorities,” Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels, without elaborating further.
“China should not provide lethal aid to Russia, that would be to support an illegal war.”
Seven out of 30 allies met Nato’s military spending target of 2% of GDP in 2022, one country less than in 2021 before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the alliance’s chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday, urging allies to boost defence investment more quickly.
Reuters reports Stoltenberg told reporters in a news conference at Nato headquarters in Brussels that the alliance originally had expected two more countries to meet the goal.
“But because GDP has increased more than expected for a couple of allies, two allies that we expected to be at 2% are now slightly below 2%,” he said.
Stoltenberg did not reveal which countries reached the goal but referred to Nato’s annual report to be published later on Tuesday.
Denis Pushilin, the Russian-installed leader of Ukraine’s occupied Donetsk region, has posted to Telegram encouraging higher birthrates. In a message about the construction of a perinatal centre in Donetsk, he wrote:
We all want as many children as possible to be born in the Republic. And this requires conditions. We are starting to create them now – on behalf of President Vladimir Putin, a perinatal centre is being built in Donetsk.
Russia creates conditions for the promotion and protection of motherhood, Donbas immediately felt this – both in payments of maternity capital and in the construction of a perinatal centre. I am sure that this will have a positive effect on the increase in the birthrate.
The Donetsk People’s Republic declared itself in the east of Ukraine in 2014, and in late 2022 the Russian Federation claimed to annex it.
Fifteen children returned to Ukraine from Russian-occupied territory
Fifteen children have been returned from the Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions of Kharkiv and Kherson, as well as their mothers and children’s legal guardians, Ukraine’s human rights commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, said.
Lubinets posted to Telegram:
These are children from the cities of Kharkiv and Kherson regions, which were occupied at the beginning of the war.
A total of 308 children have been returned to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion, he added, citing the country’s national information bureau.
Updated
Russian cruise missiles of the type used by its Black Sea navy to target Ukraine have been destroyed in an explosion in the Crimean logistics hub of Dzhankoi, according to Ukrainian military intelligence.
The strike appeared to have come from a drone, with a video of the explosion showing it was immediately preceded by a loudly buzzing engine, similar in sound to Iranian-made kamikaze drones used previously to attack Ukraine.
Ukraine did not immediately claim responsibility for the attack deep into occupied territory, but a local Russian official, Igor Ivin, said the city was the target of a drone attack and that a grocery shop had been damaged, possibly by shrapnel.
Japan’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, has visited a church in the town of Bucha outside Kyiv as part of a surprise visit to Ukraine.
Kishida laid flowers at the church in Bucha, a town that has become a symbol of Russian atrocities against civilians in Ukraine, and paid his respects to the victims, Kyodo News reported.
Kishida was quoted as saying:
I’m outraged by the cruelty. I represent the Japanese citizens to express my condolences to those who lost their lives.
The US is speeding up its delivery of Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine by sending a refurbished older model that can be ready faster, according to US officials.
The original plan was to send 31 of the newer M1A2 Abrams tanks, which could have taken a year or two to build and ship. A decision has been taken to send the older M1A1 version, which can be taken from army stocks and will be easier for Ukrainian forces to learn to use and maintain, sources told Associated Press.
The aim is to get the 70-tonne tanks to the frontline in eight to 10 months, they said. The plan will be announced by the Pentagon soon, AP reports.
Updated
Here are some images we have received from the news wires of Chinese president Xi Jinping meeting Vladimir Putin for the start of formal talks at the Kremlin.
Ukraine is holding its defence of the besieged eastern city of Bakhmut as Russian forces attempted to advance to the city centre, a Ukrainian general has said.
Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukrainian ground forces, posted to Telegram:
Assault groups of the enemy are trying to advance from the outskirts to the centre of the city but our defence forces are working and destroying them 24/7.
There was intense fighting along the eastern frontline, he said.
It has not been possible to independently verify his claims.
A visit by China’s president, Xi Jinping, to Moscow this week has shone a light on his strengthening relationship with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
The two leaders have met more than 40 times in recent years, growing increasingly familiar, and now refer to each other as “dear friends”. Xi has been described as a great friend by other world leaders before, including Robert Mugabe and Donald Trump, but does not always reciprocate the compliment like he has with Putin.
Discussions are underway to organise a call between Chinese president, Xi Jinping, and Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, to talk over Beijing’s proposal for a peace plan for Ukraine, according to a senior Ukrainian official.
“Nothing concrete has been scheduled”, the official told CNN.
Xi Jinping arrives at Kremlin for start of formal talks with Putin
China’s president, Xi Jinping, has arrived at the Kremlin for the start of formal talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
The pair were seen shaking hands and standing side by side for the playing of the national anthems before heading into talks, footage from Russian state television showed.
Japan has continued to import Russian timber worth US$414m since the start of the war in Ukraine, according to a London-based NGO, which accused Tokyo of “helping to bankroll Putin’s bloody war” despite joining other countries in imposing sanctions on the Kremlin.
In a new investigation, Earthsight claims that some of the “conflict timber” has links to a sanctioned Russian oligarch and Russian government-owned firms, adding that the trade is also contributing to forest destruction and illegal logging.
Japan has imposed sanctions on Russia, and last April accused it of committing war crimes after the suspected massacre of civilians near Kyiv. But while Britain and the European Union have sanctioned Russian wood - while the US has raised tariffs on it - Japan has made a “notable exception for sawn timber imports which remain untouched by sanctions”, Earthsight said.
The NGO said it had obtained and analysed data showing that Japanese companies are importing US$10m worth of Russian lumber a month. The second largest supplier of this wood is RFP Group - a leading timber firm in the Russian Far East with long-standing connections to sanctioned oligarch billionaire and former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. Abramovich sold most of his RFP stake in January 2022, but reportedly retains a 9% holding, and so personally benefits from continued Japanese imports, Earthsight said, adding that the Russian government also retains a stake in the firm.
Earthsight said records revealed that the biggest Japanese importer of RFP’s Yezo spruce lumber is Itochu Kenzai Corporation, a subsidiary of the giant Japanese conglomerate Itochu.
Earthsight’s director, Sam Lawson, said in a statement:
After international timber certification bodies scaled back or ended operations in the country following Putin’s aggression, EU officials declared it impossible for overseas buyers to reliably trace Russian wood to the point of harvest.
So it is impossible for these Japanese investors and buyers to be sure their purchases are not helping fund the murder of innocent Ukrainians, in addition to destroying precious forests.
The sit-down between Xi and Putin was to be unexpectedly mirrored in Kyiv, where the Japanese prime minister, Fumio Kishida, was en route to meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Kishida and Zelenskiy are expected to discuss Japanese support for the reconstruction of Ukraine. Tokyo joined the US and other countries in imposing sanctions on Russia, prompting the Kremlin to add Japan to its list of “unfriendly” countries.
With Japan due to host this year’s G7 summit, in Hiroshima in May, Kishida was under pressure to end his status as the group’s only leader yet to visit Kyiv.
Kishida, who represents a seat in Hiroshima, has pledged to use his G7 presidency to promote nuclear disarmament, amid fears that Russia has not ruled out the use of tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK, showed footage of Kishida boarding a train at the Polish border town of Przemysl. He is also due to hold talks with his Polish counterpart before returning to Japan on Thursday, the foreign ministry said.
Updated
Xi Jinping meeting Russian prime minister Mishustin in Moscow
Here are some pictures we have received from the news wires of China’s president, Xi Jinping, meeting for talks with Russia’s prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, in Moscow.
Chinese state broadcaster Xinhua has reported that Xi invited Mishustin to visit China, and called for regular meetings between the pair.
government house for talks with Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin. Photograph: Dmitry Astakhov/SPUTNIK/GOVERNMENT PRESS SERVICE POOL/EPA
Updated
A Russian soldier who allegedly shot a civilian near the eastern Ukrainian city of Izium is being accused of war crimes in absentia by the Ukrainian police.
Klim Kerzhaev, a 25-year-old commander from Moscow, is accused of the attempted murder of a civilian in an attack that was caught on camera by a Ukrainian drone. The footage was captured by Ukrainian soldiers who launched a rescue mission by attaching a piece of paper with the words “follow me” to a small drone.
The head of the investigation department for Kharkiv Police, Serhii Bolvinov, told CNN:
We are watching this as if it’s on TV, like a soap opera. A horror movie where Russians kill civilians.
Bolvinov said it was just one of the hundreds of alleged Russian war crimes that he and his team were investigating in the Kharkiv region alone, including the discovery of hundreds of bodies in mass graves in Izium.
Ukraine’s first deputy minister of foreign affairs, Emine Dzheppar, has tweeted a series of images of her meeting Japan’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, who has just arrived in Kyiv.
She posted to Twitter:
Ukraine is happy to welcome Japan’s PM Kishida Fumio. This historic visit is a sign of solidarity and strong cooperation between Ukraine and Japan.
Ми раді вітати в #Україні Прем'єр-міністра #Японії Кішіду Фуміо @kishida230.
— Emine Dzheppar (@EmineDzheppar) March 21, 2023
Цей історичний візит є проявом солідарності та плідної співпраці між 🇺🇦 & 🇯🇵.
Ми вдячні Японії за потужну підтримку та внесок у нашу майбутню перемогу.
ようこそ pic.twitter.com/xaXFrySYcw
Japan's PM arrives in Kyiv for surprise visit
Japan’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, has arrived in Kyiv for a surprise visit to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, broadcaster NHK said.
Footage shown on the Japanese broadcaster showed Kishida walking on the platform of the Ukrainian capital’s central station, having departed from Poland in the early hours of Tuesday.
Hello everyone. It’s Léonie Chao-Fong here again, taking over the live blog from Martin Belam. I’m on Twitter or you can email me.
Updated
Summary of the day so far …
Ukraine’s defence ministry has said an explosion in the Crimean city of Dzhankoi destroyed Russian cruise missiles intended for use by Moscow’s Black Sea fleet. Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s interior ministry, circulated footage he said reportedly showed the train station area in the city. The claims have not been independently verified.
Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping are holding a second set of talks on Tuesday. The Chinese president’s trip to Moscow has been viewed as a major boost for his strategic partner Putin. The Chinese leader is expected to continue to position himself as a potential peacemaker in the Ukraine war during his two-day visit to Russia – his first state visit since Putin’s invasion.
Xi met Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin on Tuesday morning, and invited both Mishustin and Putin to visit China later this year.
China’s state media has extensively and positively covered the visit. Most coverage has focused on Xi’s comments and talking about how strong the relationship is. None of the pieces mentioned the recent ICC arrest warrant for the Russian president over alleged war crimes committed in Ukraine.
Iryna Vereshchuk, who is one of Ukraine’s deputy prime ministers and is the minister of reintegration of temporarily occupied territories, has said there is no confirmed time agreed for a mooted call between Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Xi.
In his nightly address, Zelenskiy thanked Europe and the US for their latest aid packages, saying “Our European partners have agreed on a joint plan to accelerate the supply of shells for our artillery … This is a strategic step. It gives us confidence in our unity, in the immutability of the movement towards victory over the terrorist state.”
Japan’s prime minister Fumio Kishida is en route to Kyiv for talks with Zelenskiy. Japanese public broadcaster NHK showed Kishida riding a train from Poland heading to Kyiv early Tuesday. Kishida, who is to chair the Group of Seven summit in May, is the only G-7 leader who hasn’t visited Ukraine and was under pressure to do so at home.
Russia’s defence ministry said on Tuesday that two of its Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers made a routine flight over the Sea of Japan. The defence ministry said the flights were carried out in compliance with international law and were made over neutral waters.
Russia’s foreign ministry said it had protested to Canada’s top diplomat in Moscow over comments by the Canadian foreign minister about “regime change” in Russia. On 10 March Canada’s foreign affairs minister Mélanie Joly said “We’re able to see how much we’re isolating the Russian regime right now – because we need to do so economically, politically and diplomatically – and what are the impacts also on society and how much we’re seeing potential regime change in Russia.”
New Zealand’s foreign ministry says it is aware of “reports” of the death of a New Zealander in Ukraine. The ministry said in an unattributed statement “These reports have not been able to be officially verified at this time”. National news outlets, including Radio New Zealand, reported that the person was a former New Zealand soldier. The defence ministry declined to comment.
The leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church said on Tuesday he will work with Lithuania’s government to potentially establish a new branch in the Baltic nation to ensure that believers would no longer be under the sole supervision of Moscow. Lithuania’s government said some of the country’s Orthodox believers, including Ukrainian refugees, object to the current organisation, which is a unit of the Russian Orthodox Church. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has been a vocal supporter of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
That is it from me, Martin Belam, for now. I will be back later. Léonie Chao-Fong will be here shortly to take you through the next few hours of our live coverage.
Russian-imposed authorities in the occupied regions of Ukraine which the Russian Federation has claimed to annex are planning to participate in the 2023 Russian regional elections, which are scheduled for 10 September.
The RIA news agency this morning reports that the head of the central executive committee of the United Russia party, Alexander Sidyakin, has said that 80,000 people had joined the party in the Ukrainian territories, and that a further 10,000 applications were being processed.
United Russia is chaired by Dmitry Medvedev and supports Vladimir Putin’s policy programme.
The claims have not been independently verified.
My colleague Dan Sabbagh has arrived in Kyiv.
Spring has arrived in Kyiv, bright sun and a high of 14c. Another winter overcome, even if the war continues. A good time to be back pic.twitter.com/kEYD5g3u2T
— Dan Sabbagh (@dansabbagh) March 21, 2023
Secretary of the Russian security council Nikolai Patrushev has said that “the US and its vassals” are “already participants” in the conflict in Ukraine. Addressing a meeting in Ulyanovsk, state-owned news agency Tass quotes him as saying:
In pursuit of the goal of defeating Russia, the US and its vassals continue to pump weapons into the Ukrainian regime and, in fact, are already participants in the conflict. They arm and provide the Kyiv regime with intelligence, train neo-Nazis and help in planning military operations. At the same time, they do not consider significant human losses from the Ukrainians their problem. And the fighting is not taking place on their territories.
Patrushev, a key ally of Vladimir Putin’s, went on to say “The liberation of Ukraine from neo-nazism will be an important stage in the formation of a multipolar world, the return of stability and the strengthening of international security.”
Patrushev also cautioned against a rise of what he termed extremist activity in Russia, conducted mainly on the internet. He said “The efforts of extremists are aimed primarily at reducing the level of support by the population for a special military operation.”
“Special military operation” is the Russian authorities preferred term for the invasion of Ukraine that commenced on 24 February 2022.
Russia’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday it had protested to Canada’s top diplomat in Moscow over comments by the Canadian foreign minister about “regime change” in Russia, Reuters reports.
Earlier this month Canada’s foreign affairs minister Mélanie Joly said:
We’re able to see how much we’re isolating the Russian regime right now – because we need to do so economically, politically and diplomatically – and what are the impacts also on society and how much we’re seeing potential regime change in Russia.
She continued:
The goal is definitely to do that, is to weaken Russia’s ability to launch very difficult attacks against Ukraine. We want also to make sure that Putin and his enablers are held to account. I always make a difference between the regime and the people of a given country, which is fundamental.
At the time, Russia’s ambassador to Canada called the comments a “Freudian slip of the tongue.”
Putin and Xi discuss China's Ukraine peace plan, reports say
Reuters reports the Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping had held a “thorough” exchange of views during their first day of talks and had discussed China’s peace plan for Ukraine, without elaborating further.
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The leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church said on Tuesday he will work with Lithuania’s government to potentially establish a new branch in the Baltic nation to ensure that believers would no longer be under the sole supervision of Moscow.
“Today a new perspective opens before us along with the possibility to work together for the establishment of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in Lithuania,” Patriarch Bartholomew told the media in Vilnius, Reuters reports.
Lithuania’s government said some of the country’s Orthodox believers, including Ukrainian refugees, object to the current organisation, which is a unit of the Russian Orthodox Church. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has been a vocal supporter of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russia’s defence ministry said on Tuesday that two of its Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers made a routine flight over the Sea of Japan.
Reuters reports, citing Russian news agencies, that the defence ministry was quoted as saying the flights were carried out in compliance with international law and were made over neutral waters.
The RIA news agency reports that Xi Jinping, while in Moscow, says he invited Vladimir Putin to visit China this year. It adds:
The leader of the People’s Republic of China also invited [Russia’s prime minister] Mishustin to visit China as soon as possible, [and] called for intensifying the work of intergovernmental mechanisms of the two countries.
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State-owned news agency Tass reports that Russia’s prime minister Mikhail Mishustin met with Chinese President Xi Jinping this morning as part of the latter’s state visit to Moscow.
Suspilne, Ukraine’s state broadcaster, reports from the Kherson region:
Yesterday, the air force twice struck the areas where the Russian occupiers and equipment were concentrated on the left bank of the Kherson region. The results of the strikes are being clarified. Also, the defense forces shot down two Russian drones over the Dnieper-Buzky estuary.
The claims have not been independently verified.
Russian forces occupy the Kherson region south of the Dnieper River, on its left bank, however Ukrainian forces liberated Kherson city and the north of the oblast, which is one of the areas of Ukraine which the Russian Federation claims to have annexed.
Iryna Vereshchuk, who is one of Ukraine’s deputy prime ministers and is the minister of reintegration of temporarily occupied territories, has been interviewed by Italy’s Corriere della Sera today. She discusses Ukraine’s relationship with China, saying:
China traditionally pursues a foreign policy as an expert player. A state that moves on several levels with pragmatism and balance. I really don’t think Xi Jinping intends to embark on an open confrontation with the West to facilitate cooperation with Russia. Beijing does not want to risk economic sanctions and new tensions.
She described the proposed phone call between Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Xi as “an important move”, but as to the timing, she admitted “I don’t know, we await confirmation.”
Asked to talk about what is happening in the occupied regions of Ukraine, Vereshchuk said:
The Russians continue to methodically violate the Geneva conventions. For example, men are forcibly conscripted, ordering passport changes, destroying or robbing private property, imposing Russian curricula in schools. However, I believe that the most serious injustices are committed against civilian prisoners. According to our lists, there are over 3,000.
She was also asked about Vladimir Putin’s night-time visit to Mariupol, saying: “Even Hitler visited Mariupol temporarily occupied by his soldiers in 1941 and it is good to remember how he ended up. They are photos that only serve to show the weakness of the Russian president, he will soon be forced to retire.”
This is Martin Belam taking over the live blog in London. You can contact me at martin.belam@theguardian.com
Updated
Putin and Xi prepare for second day of talks in Moscow
My colleagues Helen Davidson and Justin McCurry have this report for you ahead of the Chinese and Russian leaders meeting for formal talks on the second day of Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow:
Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping were set to hold a second day of talks on Tuesday, as the internationally isolated Russian leader said he was open to discussing China’s proposals on the fighting in Ukraine and the Chinese president vowed the two countries were ready to “stand guard over world order”.
Xi’s trip to Moscow has been viewed as a major boost for his strategic partner Putin, who is subject to an international criminal court warrant over accusations of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children. The Chinese leader is expected to continue to position himself as a potential peacemaker in the Ukraine war during his two-day visit to Russia – his first state visit since Putin’s invasion.
Read the full curtain raiser here:
Zelenskiy hails EU deal to supply a million rounds of shells as a ‘strategic step’ towards victory
In his nightly address, Vlodymyr Zelenskiy has thanked Europe and the US for their latest aid packages:
Our European partners have agreed on a joint plan to accelerate the supply of shells for our artillery … This is a strategic step. It gives us confidence in our unity, in the immutability of the movement towards victory over the terrorist state.
… A new defence package from the United States was also announced today. The amount is $350m. These are rockets for Himars [high mobility artillery rocket systems], artillery shells and other ammunition – everything we really need to support our warriors.
You can read more about the EU deal from my colleague Jennifer Rankin:
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Russia to hold UN meeting on Ukrainian children taken to Russia
Russia plans to hold an informal meeting of the UN security council in early April on what it says is “the real situation” of Ukrainian children taken to Russia, the Associated Press reports.
The issue has gained the spotlight following the international criminal court’s arrest warrant for the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, for war crimes related to their abduction.
Russia’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, told a news conference on Monday that Russia planned the council meeting long before Friday’s announcement by the ICC. Russia holds the rotating presidency of the council in April.
The court said it was seeking Putin’s arrest because he “is allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of (children) and that of unlawful transfer of (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation”.
The announcement of the warrants for Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, the commissioner for children’s rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation, was welcomed by Ukraine as a first step toward accountability by Russia for crimes following its invasion of the country in February 2022.
It was dismissed by Moscow, which is not one of the 123 countries that are parties to the court, calling the action “legally void” and “outrageous”.
The ICC prosecutor Karim Khan was quoted by the Courthouse News Service as telling Russia during a conference of justice ministers from more than 30 countries in London on Monday: “Return the children, repatriate the children.”
Russia’s Nebenzia called the issue of the children “totally overblown” and said Moscow wanted to explain at the security council meeting, on about 6 April, that they were taken to Russia “simply because we wanted to spare them of the danger that military activities may bring”.
Nebenzia was asked whether Russia planned on returning the children. The Russian envoy replied:
When conditions are safe, of course. Why not?
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Russian forces have made marginal gains around Bakhmut, according to the Institute of the Study of War.
Their evidence is based on:
Geolocated footage posted on March 19 showed that Russian forces made marginal advances in northern Bakhmut.
A Russian source claimed on March 18 that Wagner forces control around 70% of Bakhmut as of March 17.
Russian news aggregator Readovka claimed on March 19 fighting takes place around Avangard Stadium.
Geolocated footage published on March 19 showed Ukrainian forces repelling Russian assaults in southwestern Bakhmut.
Russian sources claimed that Wagner forces crossed the Bakhmutka River as of March 10.
New: #Russian forces made marginal gains in and around #Bakhmut amid a reported increase in the tempo of Russian operations around #Avdiivka.
— ISW (@TheStudyofWar) March 21, 2023
Our latest: https://t.co/qtDbspyIoe pic.twitter.com/sicrtabK1H
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Russia launches 21 air and nine missile strikes, Ukraine military says
Russia has launched 21 air and nine missile strikes in the last 24 hours, according to the daily operational report from the general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces.
The report said there were no civilian casualties. One strike was in the city of Sloviansk, and another hit Kramatorsk, which damaged seven multi-storey buildings and three private cars.
The military says the probability of missile strikes across Ukraine remains quite high.
The report said Russia’s focus remains on offensives in the Limansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdiiv, Maryinsky and Shakhtar regions.
Ukraine has repelled more than 120 Russian attacks in the reporting period, the general staff says.
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Reports of the death of New Zealander in Ukraine
New Zealand’s foreign ministry says it is aware of “reports” of the death of a New Zealander in Ukraine.
The ministry said in an unattributed statement:
These reports have not been able to be officially verified at this time.
National news outlets, including Radio New Zealand, reported that the person was a former New Zealand soldier. The defence ministry declined to comment. New Zealand does not have troops deployed to Ukraine.
This would be the third New Zealander known to have died while fighting in the war. Dominic Abelen, a New Zealand soldier who had not told the defence force he was traveling to Ukraine or sought permission to do so, was killed there last August, after enlisting as a foreign fighter while on leave without pay.
Aid worker Andrew Bagshaw – a dual British-New Zealand citizen who lived in Christchurch – died in January during a humanitarian mission.
Updated
Japanese prime minister to meet with Zelenskiy in Kyiv
Japan’s prime minister Fumio Kishida is en route to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Japanese public broadcaster NHK showed Kishida riding a train from Poland heading to Kyiv early Tuesday.
The Associated Press reports that Kishida’s surprise trip to Ukraine comes just hours after he met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
Kishida, who is to chair the Group of Seven summit in May, is the only G-7 leader who hasn’t visited Ukraine and was under pressure to do so at home.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry said in announcing his trip, Kishida will show respect to the courage and patience of the Ukrainian people who are standing up to defend their homeland under President Zelenskiy’s leadership, and show solidarity and unwavering support for Ukraine as head of Japan and chairman of G-7 during his visit to Ukraine.
At the talks, Kishida will show his “absolute rejection to Russia’s one-sided change to the status quo by invasion and force, and to affirm his commitment to defend the rules-based international order,” the ministry’s statement said.
China state media coverage praise strong relationship with Russia
China’s state media has extensively and positively covered the Xi Putin meeting.
Most coverage has focused on Xi’s comments and talking about how strong the relationship is. None of the pieces mentioned the recent ICC arrest warrant for Putin over alleged war crimes committed in Ukraine.
China Daily reported Xi saying:
The two sides have set a fine example for developing a new model of major country relations featuring mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.
Official news agency Xinhua said exchanges between the two leaders were “the compass and anchor of China-Russia relations”, which were “brimming with new dynamism and vitality” under the guidance of Xi and Putin. Multiple reports plastered the masthead’s online front, and a separate page dedicated to the visit.
The Global Times’s news report noted the “high standard welcoming ceremony” arranged by the Russians as an expression of “warm hospitality”.
It cited experts from both countries saying the visit was both symbolic and globally significant, “as it will not only greatly promote the development of bilateral ties, but also bring hope and confidence for a peaceful solution to the Ukraine crisis”.
The tabloid’s reporters also vox-popped Russians on the Moscow streets, the article said, finding that many considered China to be Russia’s “good friend and neighbour”.
In an accompanying editorial, the Global Times said the visit “demonstrates a right path of state-to-state interactions”.
We have every reason to believe that this visit will further elevate the China-Russia relations which are already at historical high. It will not only bring tangible benefits to the two peoples but also to promoting peace and development for the region and the world, as determined by the nature of China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation for a new era.
The Global Times was also careful to characterise the war as a “crisis”, in which Ukraine was “directly fighting with Russia”. It pushed China’s 12 point peace plan, and cited analysts to promote the country’s ability to be a mediator rather than the US which had “lost” a position of neutrality and justice.
Russian cruise missiles destroyed in Crimea blast, Ukraine says
Ukraine’s defence ministry has said an explosion in the Crimean city of Dzhankoi destroyed Russian cruise missiles intended for use by Moscow’s Black Sea fleet.
Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s interior ministry, circulated footage he said reportedly showed the train station area in the city. The footage showed a loud single fiery blast followed by a plume of smoke in the night sky. It was not possible to verify his claim.
Russian cruise missiles "Kalibr NK" were destroyed in Dzhankoi, Crimea, during their transportation by rail - @DI_Ukraine
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) March 20, 2023
It is reported that this video is from Dzhankoi. The voice says it's the train station area. pic.twitter.com/9UXMe2aKNR
The ministry’s main intelligence directorate said on Monday:
An explosion in Dzhankoi city in the north of temporarily occupied Crimea destroyed Russian Kalibr-KN cruise missiles as they were being transported by rail.”
It did not claim responsibility.
It said the missiles, designed to be launched from surface ships of Russia’s Black Sea fleet, had an operational range of more than 2,500km (1,550 miles) on land and 375km at sea.
Read more here:
Welcome and summary
Hello and welcome back to our continuing live coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine. My name is Natasha May and I’ll be bringing you the latest developments for the next while.
Our top story this morning: Russian cruise missiles intended for use by Moscow’s Black Sea fleet have been destroyed in an explosion in the city of Dzhankoi in the north of the Crimean peninsula, Ukraine’s defence ministry has said.
The explosion comes in the midst of the Chinese President’s three day visit to Moscow. Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin are set to hold formal negotiations today after their informal talks Monday left with the pair calling each other “dear friend.”
Xi told Putin Monday that China is ready to “continue to play a constructive role in promoting the political settlement” of the war, according to official Chinese agency Xinhua.
Despite the Xi attempting to play the peacemaker, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been critical of the visit, which he says “suggests that China feels no responsibility to hold the president accountable for the atrocities committed to Ukraine.”
We’ll have more on these stories shortly. In the meantime here are the other key recent developments:
Russia plans to hold an informal meeting of the U.N. Security Council in early April on what it says is “the real situation” of Ukrainian children taken to Russia, the Associated Press is reporting. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin for war crimes related to the children’s abduction but Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told a news conference Monday the issue was “totally overblown.”
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv, broadcaster NHK has reported. Kishida has already left India and is on his way to Ukraine, according to unnamed sources cited in the report.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, has written to Russia’s defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, to warn that the Ukrainian army is planning an imminent offensive aimed at cutting off his forces from the main body of Russian troops in eastern Ukraine. In the letter published by his press service, Prigozhin said the “large-scale attack” was planned for late March or the start of April. Separately, Prigozhin also intensified his attack on Shoigu, calling the minister’s son-in-law a “scumbag blogger”.
The prosecutor for the ICC has said the world needs to “have the stamina” to enforce international law by trying those accused of war crimes in Ukraine, four days after the court took action against Vladimir Putin. Karim Khan also challenged the Kremlin to allow Ukrainian children abducted to Russia to return home, after his court issued an arrest warrant for Putin and Russia’s children’s commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, on the grounds that they had overseen the forcible transfer of thousands of children.
EU ministers have reached a deal to supply Ukraine with 1m rounds of shells to bolster its defences against Russia’s invasion. EU foreign and defence ministers are still fine-tuning a €1bn plan for the joint procurement of ammunition by the Brussels-based European Defence Agency. Such an agreement would be a significant moment for the EU, which has limited experience of the joint purchase of military supplies. So far, about 15 countries are expected to take part in the voluntary initiative.
The US will send Ukraine $350m in weapons and equipment, Blinken has announced. The latest aid package includes a large amount of various types of ammunition, such as rockets for the high-mobility artillery rocket systems (Himars), the US secretary of state said in a statement.
Norway has delivered eight Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, a spokesperson for its armed forces has said. Norway, which shares a border with Russia in the Arctic, said it would also send four special-purpose tanks from its armoured engineering and bridge layer category, the exact selection depending on what Ukraine needs the most.
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