The new talks between Russia and Ukraine have been “difficult” but will continue tomorrow, again via video. The meeting between the security advisers of the United States and China took place in Rome, while the president Joe Biden he would be contemplating a trip to Europe. A humanitarian corridor briefly allowed 160 cars to leave Mariupol, the besieged and bombed Ukrainian city. The number of Ukrainian refugees who have fled to Europe reaches 2.8 million people. Meanwhile, the war continues, a rocket hit Kiev, NATO warns Moscow not to use chemical weapons.
Direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine
“Difficult talks”, reports the Ukrainian delegation after half a day of discussions by teleconference with the Russian delegation. “The parties remain on their specific positions, however the negotiation goes on,” he says Michail Podolyak, advisor to Ukrainian President Zelensky. The negotiated video has been updated for tomorrow, “after additional work by the sub-groups,” said a spokesperson, words that would suggest a negotiation on various issues, not just on the ceasefire. In recent days, rumors have circulated about some possible step forward, but more than words in this conflict, facts count.
The negotiation between the US and China
No less important is the conversation in Rome between the National Security Advisor of the White House Jack Sullivan and the highest foreign affairs adviser to the Chinese government Yang Jechi, nicknamed “the tiger” for his grit. Washington wants China to reject Russian requests for weapons for the war in Ukraine and to press on Putin to reach a compromise agreement with Kiev.
Who is Yang the Tiger, the “American” from Beijing who came to Rome to negotiate with the US on Ukraine
by our correspondent Gianluca Modolo
But on the eve of the Roman meeting, the official Chinese news agency repeated the Russian disinformation campaign according to which there are biological laboratories administered by the United States in Ukraine, a pretext that Moscow could cite for using chemical weapons against Kiev. NATO warns Russia that there will be “serious consequences” if it uses chemical weapons. On a possible trip by Biden to Europe it is unclear whether it would be to meet allies or for other purposes.
The Russian drones in battle, challenge with the small Turkish Bayraktar TB2 who continue to destroy the vehicles of the invaders
by Floriana Bulfon
Humanitarian corridor in Mariupol
Ukraine accuses Russian forces of continuing to prevent civilians from leaving the besieged city of 400,000 inhabitants on the Black Sea where there is a risk of a humanitarian disaster because the population no longer has running water, food and medicine. Moscow replies that a humanitarian corridor has been opened. Independent observers say that today only a procession of about 160 cars was able to leave Mariupol.
More and more refugees to Europe
According to UN data, the Ukrainian refugees have already arrived in the European Union in less than three weeks, mostly women and children. Another 2 million people, says the UN refugee agency, have been displaced from their homes to seek shelter from the war, while remaining in Ukraine for the time being.
the war continues
A Russian bombing hit an Antonov aircraft manufacturing center and a residential area in Kiev, but the ground battle to eventually try to take the capital has not yet begun. Meanwhile, a pregnant woman and a newborn child who were injured in the Russian attack on the Mariupol hospital died. It emerged that Dutch volunteers and a Kosovo veteran were killed by a rocket that hit a military training center 20 kilometers from the Polish border on Sunday, killing 35 in all.
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by our correspondent Tonia Mastrobuoni
“If you don’t close our skies, it’s only a matter of time before Russian missiles hit your territory, on the homes of NATO citizens,” says the president. Volodymyr Zelensky, calling once again for an Atlantic Alliance no-fly zone over Ukraine. The Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrova close ally of Putin, posted a video in which he claims to be in Ukraine and warns Ukrainians: “Give up or it’s over for you.”
Chechen leader Kadyrov: “I’m close to Kiev, we’ll finish you”. A former parliamentarian promises a home to those who kill him
Sanctions and protests
Russia is close to “default”: it will be forced to pay its foreign debt in rubles as a result of Western sanctions which have frozen a large part of its monetary reserves. In London, a group of “squatters” occupied the luxurious home of Oleg Deripaskaone of the Russian oligarchs linked to Putin affected by the sanctions: young people hung Ukrainian flags and signs on the balcony of the sumptuous building at Belgrave Square (the square on which various diplomatic offices are located, including the Italian Cultural Institute), with writings against the head of the Kremlin.