Ukraine - Russia war: latest news live | The US believes that nothing Putin and Xi have said indicates that the war will end anytime soon

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White House spokesman John Kirby has considered that nothing that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have said after their latest meetings "can lead us to think that the war will end soon."

Kirby has referred to the Chinese president's trip to Moscow, where he has been visiting since Monday.

After several meetings, the Russian president has considered that Beijing's proposal to end the war is a feasible roadmap.

"China's peace plan can be taken as the basis for an agreement on Ukraine when the West and kyiv are ready for it," Putin said.

Xi's plan proposes lifting sanctions on Russia and offering it security guarantees against NATO, while advocating restoring Ukraine's territorial sovereignty.

Meanwhile, the Japanese Prime Minister,

Fumio Kishida, has traveled by surprise to Ukraine this Tuesday to make a visit that kyiv has valued as "historic".

The Ukrainian president, Volodímir Zelenski, also thanked the presence of the Japanese president, whom he considers "a truly powerful defender of the international order."

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The country

US says Ukraine will receive first Abrams tanks next fall

The United States plans to speed up the delivery of Abrams tanks to Ukraine, as confirmed by Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon official, who has assured that this aid will arrive in Kiev next fall.

In January, the United States promised to supply Ukraine with 31 of these main battle tanks, after months of reluctance.

The new plan speeds up delivery by about a year, according to a congressional aide briefed on the matter.

The Pentagon "in close coordination with Ukraine, has made the decision to provide the M1A1 model of the Abrams tank, which will allow us to significantly speed up delivery times," said Brigadier General Patrick Ryder.

The Defense Department had not previously offered any specific date for getting the tanks into Ukrainian hands, saying only that it would take "months."

(Reuters)

ACT.21 MAR 2023 - 21:14

The country

The US believes that nothing Putin and Xi have said indicates that the war will end anytime soon

White House spokesman John Kirby has considered that nothing that the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, have said during their last meetings "can lead us to think that the war will end soon."

Kirby has referred to the Chinese leader's visit to Moscow, where he has met his Russian counterpart.

Specifically, the White House spokesman referred to the joint statement in which both countries have called for "the end of all steps that contribute to the escalation of tension and the prolongation of hostilities."

Kirby has affirmed that the US agrees with the cessation of hostilities and has recalled that the way to stop them is to withdraw Russian soldiers from Ukraine and stop bombing hospitals.

He also added that if China wants to play a "constructive" role in the conflict in Ukraine, it should pressure Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory.

On China's willingness to mediate in the conflict, Kirby has indicated that this country is not "impartial", since it has not condemned the Russian invasion.

In addition, he has continued, Xi has not visited Ukraine or spoken with the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelensky.

(Eph)

ACT.21 MAR 2023 - 23:52

The country

The Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, and the President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelensky, during a press conference after their meeting in kyiv (Ukraine) on Tuesday.

/ SERGEY DOLZHENKO / EFE

What has happened in the last hours

On day 391 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, here's the top news at 8pm this Tuesday, March 21:

- Putin affirms that the Chinese peace plan serves as a basis for negotiations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sees Beijing's proposal to end the war as a feasible road map.

"China's peace plan can be taken as the basis for an agreement on Ukraine when the West and Kiev are ready for it," said the Russian president at the conclusion of his meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Moscow.

- The Japanese prime minister travels by surprise to Ukraine on a "historical visit".

The Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, has traveled by surprise to Ukraine for a visit that kyiv has valued as very significant.

"This historic visit is a sign of strong solidarity and cooperation between Ukraine and Japan," said Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Djeppar.

The Ukrainian president, Volodímir Zelenski, has also thanked the visit of the Japanese president, whom he considers "a truly powerful defender of the international order and a long-time friend of Ukraine", as he has published on his official Telegram channel.

"Mr. Kishida has arrived in Ukraine at a time when it is important to step up global leadership to protect the United Nations Charter and international security in general," Zelensky added.

- 

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky has stated that he will participate in the next G-7 summit in Japan via videoconference after being invited by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who has made a surprise visit to Kiev and met with the Ukrainian president this Tuesday.

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The governor of the Russian province of Bryansk, on the border with Ukraine, announced Tuesday that Ukraine has attacked an oil pumping station with a drone, without causing casualties.

“Ukrainian armed forces have used a drone to attack the territory of the Novozybkov oil pumping station, belonging to [Russian state oil company] Transneft.

There are no victims to lament," Briansk Governor Alexandre Bogomaz wrote on Telegram.

ACT.21 MAR 2023 - 20:00

The country

Zelensky announces that he will participate in the next G-7 summit by videoconference

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky has stated that he will participate in the next G-7 summit in Japan via videoconference after being invited by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who has made a surprise visit to Kiev and met with the Ukrainian president this Tuesday.

Both presidents have held a joint press conference after meeting in kyiv.

Japan will host the summit of the seven powers, to be held in Kishida's hometown of Hiroshima, Japan, in May.

(Reuters)

ACT.21 MAR 2023 - 18:38

The country

Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, this Tuesday at the reception prior to the meeting in the Kremlin.

/ DPA via Europa Press

Extension |

Putin says China's peace plan serves as the basis for negotiations if Ukraine accepts

The end of sanctions on Russia in exchange for the restitution of the entire territory of Ukraine, including the Crimean peninsula.

For Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Chinese proposal to end the conflict could be a valid starting point for negotiations, although only some of his 12 points are convincing.

"We believe that many of the provisions of the peace plan presented by China are in line with Russian approaches and can be taken as the basis for a peace agreement when they are ready for it in the West and Kiev," the Russian head of state has assured. the conclusion of his summit in Moscow with the Chinese president, Xi Jinping.

Read the complete information here.

ACT.21 MAR 2023 - 18:09

The country

Japanese PM makes surprise trip to Ukraine for 'historical visit'

The Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, has traveled by surprise to Ukraine for a visit that kyiv has valued as very significant.

"This historic visit is a sign of strong solidarity and cooperation between Ukraine and Japan," said Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Djeppar.

The Ukrainian president, Volodímir Zelenski, has also thanked the visit of the Japanese president, whom he considers "a truly powerful defender of the international order and a long-time friend of Ukraine", as he has published on his official Telegram channel.

"Mr. Kishida has arrived in Ukraine at a time when it is important to step up global leadership to protect the United Nations Charter and international security in general," Zelensky added.

Kishida arrived in kyiv in the morning and visited Bucha early in the afternoon, a city that has become a symbol of the atrocities committed by Russian troops.

There, the Japanese president has expressed his "outrage".

"Steps in Bucha today and witnessing all the brutalities that have been committed there, I feel a strong sense of outrage," Kishida said.

"The whole world is shocked by the atrocities committed in this city," he added.

The Japanese prime minister has also paid his respects in front of the monument dedicated to the Ukrainian soldiers who have died in Russia's war against kyiv.

"We are grateful to Japan for its strong support and contribution to our future victory," Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Djeppar said.

Kishida has become the first Japanese head of government to go to a war zone since the end of World War II, and was the only head of a G-7 member state not to have visited Kiev since the start of war.

His visit comes at the same time that Chinese President Xi Jinping is in Moscow to meet with Vladimir Putin.

(AFP)

ACT.21 MAR 2023 - 17:48

Javier G. Cuesta

Putin says that the Chinese peace plan serves as a basis for negotiations

Russian President Vladimir Putin sees Beijing's proposal to end the war as a feasible roadmap.

"China's peace plan can be taken as the basis for an agreement on Ukraine when the West and Kiev are ready for it," said the Russian president at the conclusion of his meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Moscow.

Xi has presented his candidacy as a great international mediator in Moscow 10 days after getting Saudi Arabia and Iran to reestablish their diplomatic relations.

The Chinese president has dealt with the Russian to end his invasion of Ukraine.

His 12-point plan did not initially please either party: Beijing proposed lifting sanctions on Russia and offering it security guarantees vis-a-vis NATO, while at the same time advocating restoring Ukraine's absolute territorial sovereignty, which includes Crimea, illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014.

Moscow

ACT.21 MAR 2023 - 16:59

The country

Peskov assures that the US and Europe do not want peace in Ukraine

The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, assured this Tuesday that the United States and Europe do not want peace negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine.

"Washington, the European capitals, but first of all Washington, for no reason allow peace talks to take place," Peskov said on Russian state television.

The spokesman added that "kyiv is simply not allowed to think" about a negotiated solution.

Peskov thus commented on the statements by John Kirby, one of the White House spokesmen, who on Monday stated that "any ceasefire that does not address the elimination of Russian forces from Ukraine would effectively ratify the illegal conquest of Russia."

The United States has declared that it hopes that China will take advantage of the visit of its president, Xi Jinping, to Russia to reiterate calls for a ceasefire, but stressed that the fundamental element for a lasting peace must be the defense and territorial integrity of Ukraine. .

"Now, when they have shed their masks, (Western countries) show their wild teeth," the Kremlin spokesman said.

According to Peskov, Moscow sees in these statements by the West "a reality with which one must live."

(Eph)

ACT.21 MAR 2023 - 16:51

Javier G. Cuesta

Putin caves to Chinese currency

The economic blockade imposed on Russia by its invasion of Ukraine has led the Kremlin to accept the Chinese currency as a substitute for the dollar.

"We are in favor of using the Chinese yuan in agreements between the Russian Federation and the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America," Vladimir Putin told Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the summit that both are now holding in Moscow. .

This is a first fragment revealed by the Kremlin of a meeting that is expected to last several hours.

Sanctions on the Russian financial system have hampered a large part of Russian exports and imports to third countries.

With the ruble out of the question and difficulties in obtaining dollars and euros, the Chinese currency has gained immense ground among Russian businesses.

“Our cooperation is constantly expanding.

We have achieved remarkable results before and a greater interaction is being carried out successfully", the Chinese president pointed out at the beginning of the meeting.

The part of the meeting that the Kremlin has revealed so far only contains a snippet of their conversation on economic matters, although both leaders also plan to discuss China's peace plan for Ukraine.

One of the important points of the summit is the construction of the Siberian Power 2 gas pipeline, which will link the Russian and Chinese networks through Mongolia.

Moscow will be able to replace with it in the future a little less than a third of the gas that it exported to Europe, which means around 50,000 million cubic meters of gas.

Moscow

ACT.21 MAR 2023 - 16:09

The country

Ukraine bans apology and symbols of Russian imperialism

The Rada of Ukraine (its parliament) has adopted a law on Tuesday that prohibits any form of apology for Russian imperialism, as well as the use of symbols or the assignment of geographical names that exalt Moscow's dominance over the country.

The text prohibits names that glorify historical events or personalities associated with Russian imperialism in its various historical stages.

According to the promoter of the law, deputy Vitali Bezgin, from President Volodimir Zelensky's Servant of the People party, the initiative will serve to accelerate the process of de-Sovietization and de-Russification of Ukraine, according to the national news agency Ukrinform.

Bezgin added that the changes in place names and names of places and public spaces will also allow the "new heroes" who are dying defending the country against the current large-scale Russian invasion to be honored in the towns and cities of Ukraine.

(Eph) 

ACT.21 MAR 2023 - 15:45

Japanese Prime Minister visits Bucha and kyiv

The Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, visited on Tuesday the Ukrainian town of Bucha, on the outskirts of kyiv, a symbol of the atrocities committed by Russian troops after the invasion of Ukraine.

After the visit to the city, Kishida plans to meet later with the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelensky.

Kishida is the only leader of the G-7 countries who had not yet visited Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, since the Russian invasion of February 2022. Later, the Japanese leader has arrived in the capital of the country, where he plans to meet with Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky.

Ukraine has celebrated Kishida's "historic visit" as a "gesture of solidarity" from the Asian country after more than a year of Russian invasion.

“This historic visit is a gesture of solidarity and strong cooperation between Ukraine and Japan.

We are grateful to Japan for its strong support and her contribution to our future victory,” First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzheppar tweeted.

(AFP)

ACT.21 MAR 2023 - 14:38

Javier G. Cuesta

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Kremlin on Tuesday.

/ SPUTNIK

The summit of Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping begins

The long-awaited meeting between the leaders of China and Russia, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, respectively, began this Tuesday in the Kremlin.

The invasion of Ukraine, the orientation of the Russian economy towards Asia in the face of sanctions and the confrontation with the United States will be several of the key issues that both leaders will address in a meeting that is expected to be long.

The day before, both leaders held an informal meeting of more than four hours.

The meeting began with a live interpretation of the hymns of the two nuclear powers.

After the summit, Putin will hold another “internal” meeting at night with his circle closest to him, according to the spokesman for the Russian president, Dmitri Peskov.

At Xi's reception were the most important officials of the Russian government, including Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu;

Defense Minister Sergei Lavrov;

and the governor of the Central Bank of Russia, Elvira Nabiúllina.

If the collapse of traffic in the Russian capital were any measure of events, Xi's visit has surpassed in importance the celebrations on September 30 for the annexation of the occupied Ukrainian territories.

Transport in the center of Moscow has collapsed for the second day in a row due to the rigorous security measures deployed within the first ring of the city, the well-known Sadóvoye Koltsó.

ACT.21 MAR 2023 - 16:39

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