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Ukrainian soldiers near Bakhmut
Photo: SERGEY SHESTAK / EPA
This article will be continuously updated.
Blinken promotes rapid northern expansion of NATO in Turkey
10.16 a.m .:
During a visit to Turkey, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Sweden and Finland to join NATO soon.
The United States supported admission "as soon as possible," Blinken said at a meeting with his Turkish colleague Mevlut Çavuşoğlu in Ankara on Monday.
Both countries have already approached Turkey with concrete steps.
Turkey has so far blocked the recording.
All of the currently 30 members of the western military alliance must agree to the expansion.
The Yes is also missing from Hungary.
Sweden and Finland applied for admission in May 2022 after decades of neutrality under the impression of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan justifies the blockade primarily with alleged Swedish support for "terrorists" from Turkey.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu has appealed to the US Congress to approve the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey.
This agreement has nothing to do with NATO's northern expansion.
Melnyk speaks of a surprise visit to Kiev
9:59 a.m.:
Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnyk said on Ukrainian television that a surprise visit by foreign politicians to Kiev was imminent.
Since the morning of February 20, traffic in the center of Kiev has been blocked, causing severe traffic jams.
The Guardian correspondent Peter Beaumont confirmed via Twitter that there was a lot of security personnel in the streets and there were rumors of an important guest.
The trams would continue to operate.
Failure on offensive likely to increase tensions in Moscow
9.45 a.m .:
Almost a year after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin troops are apparently under political pressure, which could also have domestic political effects in Moscow.
At least that's how the British Ministry of Defense sees it in its daily situation report, which is also shared on Twitter.
According to the British report, Russia is pursuing several offensive axes in eastern Ukraine: Wuhledar, Kremina and Bakhmut.
The losses are still high, especially at Bachmut and Wuhledar.
"In particular, the 155th and 40th Marine Infantry Brigades suffered heavy casualties at Wuhledar and are likely to be disabled."
For these reasons, Russian forces are likely to be under increasing political pressure as the anniversary of the invasion approaches.
It is likely that Russia will claim that Bakhmut has been conquered, regardless of the reality on the ground.
If the Russian offensive is unsuccessful, "tensions within the Russian leadership are likely to increase," it said.
Luxembourg Foreign Minister warns against Chinese arms deliveries to Moscow
9.03 a.m .:
Before the meeting of EU foreign ministers on the situation in Ukraine, Luxembourg’s chief diplomat Jean Asselborn warned of possible arms deliveries from China to Russia.
Asselborn said on Deutschlandfunk on Monday that such a step would again "intensify the conflict".
Since US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had warned against Chinese arms deliveries, there must be "indications" of this possibility, Asselborn said.
Asselborn said China has not clearly sided with Russia and has not voted with Moscow at the UN.
He still hopes that China will see that it "does not play its own role" if a coalition with Russia is formed.
But he had "no illusions," added Asselborn.
Recommended reading: Ukrainians mitigate German shortage of skilled workers - 86,000 already have a job
8.39 a.m .:
They study German “until they overwhelm themselves”: tens of thousands of refugees from Ukraine have already found jobs in Germany last year – and are thus providing much-needed relief on the labor market.
Read the entire text here.
Selenskyj speaks of high enemy losses – and calls dialogue with Russians "a waste of time"
8:29 a.m .:
Kiev and Moscow accuse each other of having shot at children.
New sanctions against Russian banks.
And: Selenskyj thinks little of France's efforts to talk to Putin.
Read the latest developments here.
mgo/AFP/dpa/Reuters
