It is the 268th day of war in Ukraine. The first snow is falling on the country and in the face of the harsh winter that lies ahead, Zelensky has appealed to the West to “increase the pressure on Russia”. From the opposite front came the appeal from Moscow which asked Washington to “exert an influence on Kiev by making it more flexible” and inducing it to negotiate because Russia does not intend to give up the annexed territories.
On the diplomatic front, the announcement has come from the Kremlin that from 29 November to 6 December Russian and American envoys will meet in Cairo as part of the bilateral commission which oversees the application of the New Start treaty on the reduction of nuclear arsenals. Pope Francis a The print: “Peace is possible”.
Grain exports from Ukrainian ports will be guaranteed for another four months: they will continue for another 120 days through the Black Sea corridor even after November 19, the expiry date of the agreement reached during the summer between Kiev, Moscow, Ankara and the UN. After two days in which he certainly pointed the finger at Russia, even arousing some irritation in Washington, Zelensky admitted that he had no proof of Moscow’s responsibility for the missile that fell on Poland. “I don’t know what happened,” he said.
To know more
The interview – Pope Francis: “Peace is possible between Kiev and Moscow”
The report – With Kherson’s snipers under the cursed bridge
How to donate – Mirror of the Times Foundation
Follow the updates hour by hour
00.30 – US Republicans ask for audits of American aid to Kiev
In the US, a group of Republicans in the House of Representatives presented a legislative initiative to request an audit of the Biden administration’s military, civilian and financial aid to Ukraine. Republican Marjorie Taylor Green, a follower of the Qanon conspiracy movement, has asked for documents and other materials relating to the allocation of funds to be presented within 14 days. Americans, she said, “deserve to know why hard-earned taxpayer money goes to another country that is not a NATO member.” The deputy also announced the need to conduct an investigation into “blatant corruption” linked to the FTX cryptocurrency exchange and its possible links with the Ukrainian authorities.
00.15 – IAEA against Moscow: no more attacks on nuclear sites
The Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has adopted a new resolution calling on Russia to withdraw from Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia power plant and to cease its actions against nuclear sites. This was reported by diplomatic sources. The text, presented by Canada and Finland, was approved by 24 of the 35 member states of the Council. Russia and China voted against. Seven countries abstained (Pakistan, India, South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia). Two were absent. First in March and later in September – when the continuous shelling in the vicinity of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe – two similar resolutions had already been adopted. In the text, the board of governors of the IAEA “expresses deep concern” for Russia’s refusal to stop its attacks against the sites and calls on Russia “to renounce its unfounded claims on the Zaporizhzhia power plant, immediately withdraw its troops and personnel and cease all action” against the country’s power plants.
00.01 – Pentagon: Our military posture in Poland has not changed
“Nothing has changed in our military posture in Poland.” Pentagon deputy spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said in a press briefing, answering a question about the situation in Poland after Tuesday’s incident.
The news and updates of yesterday 17 November