US President Joe Biden mentioned his nation would stay with Ukraine “as long as it takes” throughout a shock go to to Kyiv, simply days forward of the primary anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Washington has expressed concern that China could also be contemplating supplying weapons to Russia, with Beijing’s prime diplomat resulting from go to Moscow shortly. Read our dwell weblog to see how all of the day’s occasions unfolded. All instances are Paris time (GMT+1).
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05:10am: China says sure international locations should cease ‘fuelling the hearth’ in Ukraine battle
China is “deeply worried” that the Ukraine battle might spiral uncontrolled, China’s international minister Qin Gang mentioned on Tuesday, and referred to as on sure international locations to cease “fuelling the fire”.
Beijing, which final 12 months struck a “no limits” partnership with Moscow, has avoided condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The United States has warned of penalties if China gives navy assist to Russia, which Beijing says it isn’t doing.
“We urge certain countries to immediately stop fuelling the fire,” Qin mentioned throughout a speech, referring to the Ukraine battle and in feedback that seemed to be directed on the United States.
“We stand firmly against any form of hegemony, against any foreign interference in China’s affairs,” he mentioned.
Also on Tuesday, China launched a paper on the Global Security Initiative (GSI), President Xi Jinping’s flagship safety proposal which goals to uphold the precept of “indivisible security”, an idea endorsed by Russia.
10:10pm: Biden arrives in Poland after Kyiv go to
US President Joe Biden has arrived in Poland by prepare from Ukraine, the Polish news company PAP reviews.
Following a shock go to to Kyiv, Biden arrived on the prepare station in Poland’s southeastern metropolis of Przemysl round 8:30pm native time (1930 GMT), PAP mentioned.
8:25pm: Russian financial system contracted by 2.1% in 2022
Russia’s financial system contracted 2.1% in 2022, the federal statistics service has mentioned, in contrast with a 5.6% year-on-year rise in 2021, damage by the fallout from Moscow’s determination to ship tens of hundreds of troops into Ukraine final February.
Rosstat’s first gross home product (GDP) estimate for 2022 was a marked enchancment on forecasts made quickly after the battle started. The Economic Development Ministry had forecast in September a 2.9% contraction, and the Central Bank anticipated a drop of round 3% % drop in gross home product (GDP) anticipated by the central financial institution.
The Economy Ministry at one level predicted that the financial system would shrink greater than 12% final 12 months, exceeding the falls in output seen after the Soviet Union collapsed and throughout the 1998 monetary disaster.
The knowledge was revealed on the eve of a keenly awaited speech to parliament by President Vladimir Putin, days earlier than the primary anniversary of the launch of Russia’s offensive in opposition to Ukraine on February 24.
7:15pm: Next EU sanctions package deal in opposition to Russia ought to be reached this week
EU members ought to approve the tenth package deal of sanctions in opposition to Russia this week, EU’s international coverage chief Josep Borrell instructed reporters on Monday.
“It is going to be approved in the next hours, in the next hours. Before the 24th (of February) in any case”, he mentioned.
The measures, which nonetheless require the unanimous approval of all EU states, would goal 4 extra Russian banks, imports from Russia, together with rubber, and exports to Russia together with heavy autos, amongst others.
6:35pm: China, Hungary able to cooperate over ending Ukraine battle
China and Hungary are able to cooperate with “peace-loving nations” to finish the Ukraine conflict, Beijing’s prime diplomat mentioned Monday.
Wang Yi was talking in Budapest amid tensions over US allegations that Beijing is contemplating arming Russia in its conflict in opposition to Ukraine. Beijing has rejected the accusations.
“China and Hungary are happy to work together with other peace-loving countries to end the current war as soon as possible,” Wang Yi mentioned, in line with an official translation. “We would like the parties to return to the negotiating table,” he added, reiterating a name for assist for a Chinese proposal to finish the conflict.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto mentioned he welcomed the Chinese place, which sought to “establish peace as soon as possible.”
5:50pm: Biden go to ‘a morale enhance’ for Ukrainians close to jap entrance line
President Joe Biden’s unannounced journey to Kyiv has been warmly welcomed by Ukrainians within the nation’s war-torn east, says FRANCE 24’s senior reporter Catherine Norris-Trent, talking from the Donetsk area.
“The visit is a morale boost for people in towns and villages near the front line, who sometimes live through daily and nightly Russian bombardment,” she mentioned. “But they’re also waiting to hear whether they will get any concrete announcements on more weapons.”
3:45pm: China’s prime diplomat due in Moscow, urges finish to hostilities
China’s prime diplomat is because of go to Moscow shortly, and will presumably even meet President Vladimir Putin. A diplomatic supply who spoke on situation of anonymity instructed Reuters earlier that Wang YI was anticipated in Moscow shortly and would talk about Chinese concepts for a political settlement of the Ukraine battle in addition to bilateral points.
The United States says it’s involved Beijing could also be contemplating supplying weapons to Russia, which might danger a possible escalation of the Ukraine conflict right into a confrontation between Russia and China on the one aspect and Ukraine and the U.S.-led NATO navy alliance on the opposite.
Wang recommended European international locations “think calmly” about finish the conflict and mentioned Beijing would put ahead “China’s position on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis”. Wang, talking in Budapest on Monday, mentioned China was able to work with Hungary and different international locations to carry hostilities to an finish.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the deliberate go to by Wang to Moscow however gave no date for the journey. “We don’t rule out a meeting between Mr Wang and the president (Putin),” Peskov instructed reporters. “The agenda is clear and very extensive, so there is lots to talk about.”
3:08pm: US notified Russia about Biden’s go to to Ukraine ‘hours earlier than’, White House aide says
The United States gave a heads as much as Moscow “hours” forward of President Joe Biden’s shock journey to Kyiv on Monday to keep away from any likelihood of battle, a senior White House aide mentioned.
“We did notify the Russians that President Biden will be traveling to Kyiv. We did so some hours before his departure for deconfliction purposes,” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan instructed reporters. “Because of the sensitive nature of those communications, I won’t get into how they responded or what the precise nature of our message was.”
2:25pm: Russia says captured village of Paraskoviivka, on the northern outskirts of Bakhmut
Russia mentioned Monday that its forces had taken management of a village close to Bakhmut, the jap Ukrainian metropolis residence to the longest-running battle of Moscow’s offensive.
The defence ministry in Moscow mentioned that volunteer fighters had “fully liberated” the settlement of Paraskoviivka with the assist of standard forces, together with paratroopers and artillery. The assertion didn’t point out Russia’s mercenary group Wagner which claimed to have captured village on Friday.
Paraskoviivka is a hamlet on the northern outskirts of Bakhmut.
2:15pm: Russian officers are denying ammunition to Wagner fighters, group founder Prigozhin says
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founding father of Russia’s mercenary group Wagner, accused unspecified officers of intentionally denying his fighters ample ammunition as a part of an ongoing rivalry between himself and elements of the Russian elite.
In a seven-minute lengthy audio message revealed on Monday by his press service, an apparently offended and emotional Prigozhin mentioned he was required to “apologise and obey” so as to safe ammunition for his troops. Speaking at instances with a raised voice and infrequently swearing, he mentioned: “I’m unable to solve this problem despite all my connections and contacts.”
Prigozhin mentioned Russia’s navy manufacturing was now ample to provide the forces preventing on the entrance, and that the provision difficulties his fighters had been experiencing had been the results of acutely aware selections. “Those who interfere with us trying to win this war are absolutely, directly working for the enemy”, he mentioned.
A onetime catering entrepreneur who as soon as shunned the general public highlight, Prigozhin has assumed an ever extra public function in Russian politics because the begin of the conflict in Ukraine a 12 months in the past, together with his Wagner Group spearheading Russia’s months-long battle for the city of Bakhmut in Ukraine’s Donetsk area. Since the outbreak of the battle, Prigozhin has publicly feuded with generals and Kremlin officers, accusing them of inadequate zeal in prosecuting the marketing campaign in opposition to Kyiv. He has reserved his harshest criticism for Russia’s Defence Ministry, which he has accused of making an attempt to take credit score for Wagner’s achievements on the battlefield.
1:56pm: Putin critic Navalny says Russia’s navy defeat in Ukraine ‘inevitable’
Russia’s jailed opposition chief Alexei Navalny mentioned Moscow’s navy defeat in Ukraine is “inevitable” even when the Kremlin sends extra troops to the pro-Western nation.
“The lives of tens of thousands of Russian soldiers have been senselessly ruined,” Navalny mentioned in a press release launched forward of the primary anniversary of Russia’s offensive in Ukraine.
“The final military defeat can be delayed at the cost of the lives of hundreds of thousands additional reservists, but on the whole it is inevitable,” he mentioned.
1:22pm: If China helps Russia it’s going to result in world conflict, Zelensky warns
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned China in a newspaper interview on Monday in opposition to supporting Russia in its conflict on Ukraine, and mentioned doing so would carry on a world conflict.
“For us, it is important that China does not support the Russian Federation in this war. In fact, I would like it to be on our side,” Zelenskiy instructed German each day Die Welt. “At the moment, however, I don’t think it’s possible.”
“But I do see an opportunity for China to make a pragmatic assessment of what is happening here,” he added. “Because if China allies itself with Russia, there will be a world war, and I do think that China is aware of that.”
1:19pm: Russian ship ‘mapped’ Dutch windparks, intelligence official says
A prime Dutch intelligence official on Monday accused a Russian ship of making an attempt to map Dutch wind parks within the North Sea with a view to disrupting the Netherlands’ electrical energy infrastructure.
“What we have seen in recent months is that Russian actors have been trying to understand how the energy supply in the North Sea is organised, with the intention of disrupting it,” Major-General Jan Swillens, head of navy intelligence, instructed journalists. “The attempt was not successful,” he mentioned, including that “the ship was escorted by the Dutch coastguard and the navy”.
“The Netherlands must take into account that the war in Ukraine and its consequences will probably last for a long time,” Swillens added.
12:09pm: Japan PM pledges $5.5 billion in further support for Ukraine
Japan will provide Ukraine recent monetary assist value $5.5 billion, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida mentioned Monday.
“There is still a need to assist people whose livelihoods have been destroyed by the war, and to restore destroyed infrastructure,” he mentioned.
Kishida on Monday additionally introduced that he would host a web-based assembly between Group of Seven leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday – a 12 months to the day since Russia invaded.
“So the G7 leaders can remain united to deal with the invasion of Ukraine,” he mentioned.
11:25am: ‘United States will stay with Ukraine so long as it takes,’ Biden says
During his shock go to to Kyiv on Monday, US President Joe Biden mentioned Washington would supply Ukraine with a brand new navy support package deal value $500 million.
Biden, who mentioned his nation would “remain with Ukraine as long as it takes”, mentioned the package deal can be introduced on Tuesday and that Washington would additionally present extra ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) in Ukraine’s possession.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram that Biden’s go to was an “extremely important sign of support for all Ukrainians” and posted a photograph of the 2 leaders shaking palms.
11:08am: US President Biden visits Kyiv
US President Joe Biden made an unannounced go to to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Monday, days earlier than the primary anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Biden met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky within the Ukrainian capital, the place an air raid siren blared however with none reviews of Russian missile or air strikes.
US President Joe Biden and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky meet in Ukraine
08:57am: US President Biden due in Poland
US President Joe Biden was anticipated to land in Poland on Monday to mark the primary anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. During the February 20-22 go to, Biden is because of meet with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and President Andrzej Duda, in addition to Eastern European allies, with whom he’ll talk about Ukraine, the White House mentioned.
In an interview with CBS on Sunday, Morawiecki mentioned that he and Biden would additionally talk about presumably growing US troop presence in Poland and making it extra everlasting. In June final 12 months, the US president mentioned his nation would arrange a brand new everlasting military headquarters in Poland in response to Russian threats.
05:19am: Russia, Turkey could discuss Black Sea grain deal ‘quickly’
Turkish and Russian leaders could quickly talk about a UN-backed initiative that has enabled the export of grain from Ukrainian ports, however there is no such thing as a date set but, a supply conversant in the negotiations on the deal instructed RIA Novosti on Monday.
The settlement is for renewal in March, however Russia has signalled that it’s sad with some points of the deal and has requested for sanctions affecting its agricultural exports to be lifted.
According to Ukraine, broader negotiations on extending the Black Sea Grain Initiative are anticipated this week.
04:56am: Russia says 680 Ukrainian officers ‘charged with conflict crimes’
Russia has charged 680 Ukrainian officers, together with 118 members of the armed forces and defence ministry, with breaking legal guidelines governing the conduct of conflict, together with the usage of weapons in opposition to civilians, TASS news company reported on Monday.
According to the report, which quoted Russia’s chief public investigator, the Ukrainian officers had been charged with the “use of prohibited means and methods of warfare”.
Alexander Bastrykin, the pinnacle of the Investigative Committee of Russia and who reviews on to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, instructed the state TASS news company that the fees embody the usage of weapons in opposition to the civilian inhabitants. He added that 138 of these folks had been charged in absentia.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
Originally revealed on France24