Russia’s state television presenter says war in Ukraine “has already escalated in World War III”
Vladimir Zelensky said Ukraine would not cede territory to the Russian-occupied Donbass region in any attempt to reach a peace agreement.
Speaking to CNN, the Ukrainian president said it would leave open the possibility for Russia to use the territory to launch another attack aimed at capturing Kyiv.
Russia, meanwhile, has threatened to “destroy” Ukrainian troops in the besieged Black Sea port city of Mariupol if they do not surrender.
About 2,500 Ukrainian fighters are hiding in the Mariupol steel plant, which has a network of underground tunnels, the Russian military estimates.
“All those who continue to resist will be destroyed,” said Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov, adding that those who surrender are “guaranteed to save their lives.”
Russia has given Ukrainian troops a 3-hour Greenwich Mean Time to surrender, but they continue to oppose the request, said Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Shmihal.
The capture of Mariupol will give an advantage to Vladimir Putin’s forces after troops have failed to capture Kyiv in the seven weeks since the ongoing invasion.
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Moving away from Russian gas is “possible and feasible,” said the Italian prime minister
The Italian prime minister said Europe could limit its dependence on Russian energy “in a relatively short time”.
Speaking to the Corriere della Sera on Sunday, Mr Draghi said: “We no longer want to depend on Russian gas, because economic dependence must not become political subordination.
“To do this, we need to diversify energy sources and find new supplies.
“Diversification is possible and feasible in a relatively short time, shorter than we imagined just a month ago,” he said.
Italy has signed an agreement with Algeria to receive additional gas until next year and in 2024.
Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebune meets with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi
(Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Holly Bancroft April 17, 2022 20:28
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Watch: Zelensky said that Ukraine will not cede territory in the battle for Donbass
Vladimir Zelensky said that Ukraine does not plan to cede Russian territory in the battle for Donbass.
The Ukrainian president also expressed a desire for talks between the two countries, although he offered limited optimism about the talks.
Zelensky said Ukraine would not cede territory in the battle for Donbass
Holly Bancroft 17 April 2022 20:04
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Austrian chancellor says Putin could cooperate to some extent in investigating war crimes
Vladimir Putin could co-operate in investigating allegations of war crimes against the Russian military in Ukraine, according to Austrian Chancellor Karl Nechamer.
Mr Nechamer was the first EU leader to meet in person with the Russian leader since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Speaking about the meeting, Mr Nehamer told NBC’s Meet the Press: “[Putin] he told me that he would cooperate in some international investigation, on the one hand, and on the other, he told me that he did not believe in the western world.
“I think international justice, the United Nations and international investigation are needed. So it was a difficult discussion with each other, but I tried to convince him that, for example, the wars in the former Yugoslavia have shown us that an international investigation is useful in prosecuting war criminals. “
(AFP via Getty Images)
Holly Bancroft April 17, 2022 7:33 p.m.
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Up to 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died so far – Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that up to 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died so far in the country’s war with Russia.
Speaking to CNN’s The State of the Union, Zelenski said it was difficult to know how many civilians had died so far.
“Where cities are blocked, Kherson, Berdyansk, Mariupol, further east … we just don’t know how many people died in that area,” he said.
“As far as our army is concerned, from the number we have, we think we have lost 2,500 to 3,000 people compared to the Russian military, which has lost about 19,000 to 20,000,” Zelensky said.
“This is the comparison. But we have about 10,000 wounded and it is difficult to say how many will survive.
(AFP via Getty Images)
Holly Bancroft April 17, 2022 19:02
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Germans must start saving energy so that the country can give up Russian gas, says the minister
German Economy Minister Robert Habeck has called on Germans to start saving energy so that his country can become more independent of Russian oil and gas.
Mr Habek said Germany could become less dependent on Russia if citizens reduced their energy consumption and suggested using the train or cycling instead of riding whenever possible.
“I ask everyone to contribute to saving energy right now,” he said in an interview.
“Every kilometer is a contribution to making it easier to escape from Russia’s energy supplies. We also protect the climate. “
German Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Change Robert Habeck (left) talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz
(Getty Images)
Holly Bancroft April 17, 2022 6:32 p.m.
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The British Secretary of Transport welcomed the Ukrainian family to his home
Transport Secretary Grant Shaps welcomed a three-generation Ukrainian family to his home today.
Mr Schaps has already spoken about plans to keep the family at home, but they have not yet arrived in the UK.
Now he announced their arrival, along with their dog Max, in a post on social media.
Mr Schaps told the Times last month that his family would host a six-year-old boy, his mother and a 75-year-old grandmother.
“These people are literally running away from their lives, they don’t know if their home will be there when they return,” he said.
“Their family must be separated. Every time we get into a family conversation about it, it’s literally over.
(PA)
Holly Bancroft April 17, 2022 6:02 p.m.
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Five were killed in new missile attacks on Kharkiv, Ukraine said
Ukrainian authorities say five people have been killed and 13 injured in renewed rocket attacks on Kharkiv.
Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister, said the city center “was shelled around 1:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.”
“The occupiers fired on the city from multiple rocket launchers,” Mr Gerashchenko added. “Residential and administrative buildings were damaged. There are fires in various places in the city center. “
Holly Bancroft 17 April 2022 17:25
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Russia must withdraw from Ukraine, Archbishop of Canterbury said in Easter sermon
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby called on Russia to declare a ceasefire and withdraw from Ukraine in its Easter sermon.
Archbishop Welby said Easter was a time for people, not “blood and iron.”
He added: “Let this be a time for a Russian ceasefire, withdrawal and a commitment to negotiations.”
(PA)
Holly Bancroft April 17, 2022 5:03 p.m.
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Zelensky called on Joe Biden to visit Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated Biden’s request to visit his country.
Speaking about the state of the CNN union, Zelenski said: “I think he will do it. It is his decision, of course, on the security situation depends. But I think he’s the leader of the United States and he should come here to see. “
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said earlier that the issue had been raised in discussions with Ukrainians. “The president would like the opportunity to go to Ukraine,” Mr Sullivan said, “but this was not under any serious planning.”
Holly Bancroft April 17, 2022 4:30 p.m.
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The “difficult” situation in Mariupol could be a “red line” in the ceasefire talks
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the “terrible” situation in Mariupol could be a “red line” on the path to peace talks.
He said he had not had any contact with Russian diplomats in recent weeks and that no high-level talks were taking place.
“Mariupol may be a red line,” he told CBS News in an interview today.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba
(Evelyn Hockstein / AP)
Earlier, Russia gave Ukrainian troops in Mariupol a deadline of 3 a.m. GMT to surrender, otherwise they would be “destroyed.”
However, Ukrainian troops continue to oppose the request, said Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Denis Shmihal.
Lamiat Sabin April 17, 2022 4:00 p.m.
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