LIVE: Ukraine Prez, Biden hold talks; US announces $500 mn more in aid

Volodymyr Zelensky discussed specific defensive support with US President in an hour-long call on Wednesday

11:19 PM

Ukraine negotiator says Abramovich an effective mediator with Russia, plays down poisoning report

Ukraine sees the billionaire Roman Abramovich as an effective mediator between Kyiv and Moscow who helps prevent misunderstandings from happening between the two sides, Ukrainian negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak said on Wednesday.

 

"It has long been known in the media space that he is an extremely effective mediator between delegations and partially moderates the process so that there is no misunderstanding at the outset," he told a televised briefing.

 

Podolyak also played down as speculative "conspiracy theories" the reports that Abramovich had been poisoned several weeks ago, saying such reports were meant to put pressure on the delegations.

11:18 PM

Germany's Scholz did not agree with Putin on rouble energy payments: Spokesperson

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is committed to a G7 agreement that energy supplies from Russia would be paid for only in euros or U.S. dollars, a German government spokesman said after Scholz spoke to President Vladimir Putin by phone on Wednesday.

 

The Russian president told Scholz that nothing would change for European partners and payments would still be made in euros and transferred to Gazprom bank, which is not affected by sanctions, and then converted into roubles, said the German spokesperson.

 

"Scholz did not agree to this procedure in the conversation, but asked for written information to better understand the procedure," said the German spokesperson, adding that the previous Group of Seven agreement remained.

10:52 PM

Chechen chief Kadyrov says Russia will make no concessions in Ukraine

Ramzan Kadyrov, the powerful head of Russia's republic of Chechnya, said on Wednesday that Moscow would make no concessions in its war in Ukraine and that Kremlin negotiator Vladimir Medinsky had been wrong to suggest otherwise.

 

In a video statement on his Telegram that appeared to deviate starkly from Russia's official position, Kadyrov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not just stop what he had started in Ukraine.

10:48 PM

Ukraine will sanction companies who work with Russian defence industry: Security official

Ukraine is readying sanctions against enterprises which work with Russia's military-industrial complex, Ukraine's top security official said on Wednesday.

 

Security council secretary Oleksiy Danilov added that sanctions were also being prepared against companies who "help the Russian budget support the army."

10:26 PM

Russian hackers targeted, NATO, eastern European militaries: Google

Russian hackers have recently attempted to penetrate the networks of NATO and the militaries of some eastern European countries, Google's Threat Analysis Group said in a report published on Wednesday.

 

The report did not say which militaries had been targeted in what Google described as "credential phishing campaigns" launched by a Russian-based group called Coldriver, or Callisto.

 

"These campaigns were sent using newly created Gmail accounts to non-Google accounts, so the success rate of these campaigns is unknown," the report said.

 

NATO was not immediately available for comment on the report.

10:22 PM

Ukraine foreign minister: Sanctions on Russia must increase while peace talks ongoing

International sanctions on Russia must be ratcheted up and Ukraine must be further armed while peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are ongoing, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.

 

"The logic is extremely simple - the stronger Ukraine is, the better any future deal will be," he said.

10:22 PM

Zelensky talks defence aid, new Russia sanctions package in call with Biden

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed specific defensive support with U.S. President Joe Biden in an hour-long call on Wednesday, Zelenskiy wrote on Twitter.

 

The two leaders also discussed a new package of enhanced sanctions against Russia, Zelensky said, as well as financial and humanitarian aid support for Ukraine.

10:02 PM

Biden informed Zelensky that US intends to provide Ukraine with $500 mn in direct budgetary aid

9:58 PM

Inflation in Russia climbs above 15.6%, highest since September 2015

Annual inflation in Russia accelerated to 15.66% as of March 25, its highest since September 2015 and up from 14.53% a week earlier, the economy ministry said on Wednesday, as the battered rouble sent prices soaring amid unprecedented Western sanctions.

 

Inflation in Russia has accelerated sharply in the past few weeks as the rouble's fall to an all-time low boosted demand for a wide range of goods, from food staples to cars, on expectations that their prices will rise even higher.

8:51 PM

Putin misled by advisers on Ukraine, US intel determines

US intelligence officials have determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin is being misinformed by his advisers about Russian forces' performance in Ukraine, according to a US official.

 

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity Wednesday to discuss the recently declassified intelligence finding, said that Putin has felt misled by the Russian military and there is now persistent tension between him and senior Russian defence officials.

8:49 PM

Russia says forces near Kyiv and in north "regroup" to focus on Donbas

Russia's defence ministry said on Wednesday its forces were regrouping near Ukraine's capital Kyiv and the northern city of Chernohiv in order to focus on other key areas and complete the "liberation" of the breakaway Donbas region, Russian news agencies reported.

 

The ministry's statement came a day after Russia said it would scale back operations near Kyiv and Chernihiv to support progress in peace talks.

 

But Russian attacks in both locations continued on Wednesday, according to Reuters reporters near Kyiv and the mayor of Chernihiv.

8:24 PM

Russian shelling, attacks on cities may amount to 'war crimes', says UN's Bachelet

Ukrainian cities have been pounded by air strikes and heavy shelling in Russia's five-week-old invasion, killing civilians in acts that may amount to war crimes, the top United Nations human rights official said on Wednesday.

 

Michelle Bachelet, addressing the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, called on Russia to withdraw its troops.

 

She also said her office had received "credible allegations" that Russian forces had used cluster munitions in populated areas of Ukraine at least 24 times and said her office was investigating alleged use of cluster munitions by Ukraine.

8:15 PM

Biden to speak with Ukraine's Zelensky: White House

US President Joe Biden planned to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at 10:45 a.m. EDT (1445 GMT) on Wednesday, the White House said.

7:44 PM

We don't want to capture power by killing workers of rival parties: Shah

7:25 PM

Russia says Kyiv has stated willingness to meet Moscow's core demands

Russia's lead negotiator at talks with Ukraine said on Wednesday that Kyiv had stated a willingness to meet Moscow's core demands, but that Russia's position on Donbas and annexed Crimea remained unchanged.

7:23 PM

Russia says requiring payment for gas in roubles is not breach of contract

Requiring payment for energy exports in roubles rather than dollars or euros is not a breach of contract, but Russia adapting to unprecedented pressure, the TASS news agency cited Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on Wednesday.

 

Ryabkov said he expected Russia and the European Union to reach agreement on their differences in the next few days, TASS reported.

 

Moscow's insistence on being paid in roubles for Russian gas that has met a third of Europe's annual energy needs has galvanised European states into action.

7:01 PM

China says no limit for cooperation with Russia as Lavrov arrives for talks amid Ukraine war

Hosting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the first high level Russian official to visit Beijing after the Ukraine war, China on Wednesday said “cooperation” between the two allies has no “ceiling” to resist “hegemony”.

 

Lavrov arrived in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province, for the third meeting of foreign ministers on Afghanistan, Russia's official news agency Tass reported on Wednesday.

 

"There is no ceiling for China-Russia cooperation, no ceiling for us to strive for peace, no ceiling for us to safeguard security and no ceiling for us to oppose hegemony,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here when asked to describe the limits of China-Russia relations.

6:48 PM

Glencore halts new Russian deals

Glencore Plc, the world’s biggest commodity trader, said it won’t seek new deals in Russia but will continue its long-standing business ties in the country.

 

The company at the start of March announced it was reviewing its shareholdings in two large Russian firms -- En+ Group International PJSC and Rosneft PJSC -- as well as its wider trading operations in the country.

 

“Glencore will not enter into any new trading business in respect of Russian origin commodities unless directed by the relevant government authorities,” it said in an emailed statement on Wednesday. It will continue to honor legal obligations under pre-existing contracts, subject to meeting any sanctions and where it’s “feasible and safe” to do so, it said.

6:22 PM

Europe must shut ports to Russian ships, Ukraine president tells Norwegian parliament

Norway and the rest of Europe should close their sea ports to Russian ships, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told the Norwegian parliament on Wednesday.

 

"The European Union, and I do hope so Norway, need to introduce the ban on Russian vessels to use European ports for the time being while they are blocking our ports," Zelenskiy said via video link from Ukraine.

 

He added that Ukraine and Norway, Europe's second-largest gas supplier after Russia, had started talks over the supply of 5 billion cubic metres gas for next winter.

 

"You can make a decisive contribution to the energy security of Europe by providing the necessary resources both to the countries of the European Union and to Ukraine," he said.

5:02 PM

China, Russia 'more determined' to boost ties: Chinese foreign min

China and Russia are "more determined" to develop bilateral ties and boost cooperation, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday following a meeting in China with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

 

Wang said bilateral ties had withstood new tests amid the changing international situation but had maintained the "correct" direction of development, and reaffirmed China's support for continued peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

4:26 PM

Kremlin says no breakthrough in Ukraine talks

The Kremlin says there was no breakthrough in the latest round of talks with Ukraine.

 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday it was a “positive factor” that Ukraine submitted its written proposals, but added that “we can't say there has been something promising or any breakthroughs”.

 

He emphasised in a call with reporters that there is still a lot of work ahead following Tuesday's talks in Istanbul.
 

On Tuesday, Ukraine set out a detailed framework for a peace deal under which the country would remain neutral but its security would be guaranteed by a group of third countries, including the US, Britain, France, Turkey, China and Poland.

3:19 PM

Russian foreign minister Lavrov to visit India from Mar 31-Apr 1: MEA

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will pay an official visit to India from March 31 to April 1, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Wednesday.

 

It would be the highest-level visit from Russia to India after Moscow launched its military offensive against Ukraine on February 24.

 

Lavrov is expected to travel to India after completing a two-day visit to China.

 

"Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov will pay an official visit to New Delhi on 31 March-1 April 2022," the MEA said in a one-line statement.

 

2:43 PM

DA for central govt employees, DR for pensioners increased by 3%

The Union Cabinet hikes Dearness Allowance for central government employees and Dearness Relief for pensioners by 3 per cent o 34 per cent with effect from 1 January 2022.

2:39 PM

India considering Russia's proposal of SWIFT alternative to ruble payment

The central government is considering a proposal from Russia to use a system developed by the Russian central bank for bilateral payments, reported Bloomberg quoting people familiar with the matter. The development comes as India is seeking to buy oil and weapons from the sanctions-hit country. Read more

2:23 PM

UN says more than 4 million have fled Ukraine after Russia's invasion

The United Nations says that more than 4 million people have fled war-hit Ukraine since Russia launched its military operation in the nation.

1:59 PM

Moscow lied: Chernihiv mayor says city bombarded by Russian troops

Russia bombards Ukraine's Chernihiv, one of the two cities where Moscow pledged to scale down the attack, the mayor said, reports The Guardian. 

'Russia lied,' said Chernihiv mayor Vladyslav Atroshenko, who added that Russian troops continued their attack on the country. 

1:43 PM

India Ratings revises nation's FY23 GDP forecast down to 7-7.2%

Owing to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, India Ratings revised India's FY23 GDP forecast down to 7-7.2 per cent. The rating agency said that its 'FY23 Economic Outlook' released in January 2022 is unlikely to hold in view of the global geo-political situation due to the Ukraine war. Read more

1:15 PM

India to lead security pillar of BIMSTEC, says External Affairs Ministry

The Ministry of External Affairs said that the BIMSTEC member nations have approved the complete reorganisation of the grouping's cooperation activities.

BIMSTEC cooperation activities will now take place in seven pillars, the MEA said, adding that India will lead the security pillar of the grouping.

12:58 PM

PM Modi says India to provide $1 mn to BIMSTEC to increase its operational budget

PM Narendra Modi announced that India will provide $1 million to the 'Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation' (BIMSTEC) secretariat to increase its operational budget.
In his address to the fifth BIMSTEC Summit, PM Modi said, "India will provide the (BIMSTEC) secretariat 1 million US dollars to increase its operational budget. It is important to strengthen the capacity of (the BIMSTEC) secretariat." Read more

 

12:30 PM

West sanctions leading to economic crisis of historic proportions: Russia

Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN said that sanctions imposed by the West on Moscow are leading to an economic crisis of historic proportions. 

"Today we heard and will hear another thesis about the inevitable coming food crisis in the world. In the submission of Western delegations, it is caused solely by Russia's actions in Ukraine. By posing the question in this way, our Western colleagues are being disingenuous," Vasily Nebenzya said.